


What A Long, Strange, Trip It's Been

by Pyro_Kittens



Category: World of Warcraft
Genre: F/F, Not Canon Compliant, Slice of Life, a collection of all my wow characters interacting, a gang of various races create a guild together, my canon now, some definitely non-canon headcanons on death knight and general undead, time skips around for each chapter
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-01
Updated: 2020-11-18
Packaged: 2021-02-27 06:08:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 24,599
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22062316
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pyro_Kittens/pseuds/Pyro_Kittens
Summary: A series of tales centered around a small adventuring group as they travel through Azeroth and find their place in the world. Though with troubles abound through monsters, people, and relationships too, the life of an adventurer is never easy. Thankfully they all have each other, for as long as it can last.
Relationships: Original Female Character/Original Female Character
Kudos: 2





	1. A Strange Trip Indeed

“Whew!” Janae plopped down onto the stern log, wincing only lightly from the soreness from her exhausted legs now overwhelmingly apparent. The trek was a perilous climb up ragged slopes and slippery hill sides, but from the perspective of the young night elf the view was worth all the trouble. Her glossy blue skin was warming nicely from the sun’s rays, as her freckled face complete with ribbon like tattoos across her eyes took in the last of the daylight. Her hands only lightly tussling with her white hair, trying to salvage the long braid it was still done up in.

“Well that was a nice warm-up!” Came from a rather stout draenei still standing tall, despite her words she showed fatigue through her shallow breath and sweat sheening from her light blue skin. The prosthetic attached from below her left knee suffered from only partial splashes of mud from the hike, though showed signs of long done wear and tear. 

“Crinaru, don’t even start.” Was the short reply from the human rousing through their equipment all piled together on the forest’s floor, her demeanor was anything but pleased as she shuffled through the packs. Loose strands of dark brown hair were tousled from her ponytail, matched with the soft bruising on her tan skin, as her dark eyes remained in a frazzled glare.

“Just joking, Macy.” The draenei responded, taking a moment to redo her dark blue hair into a hastily done braid. 

“Regardless of our-” The other night elf of the group took a moment to look at her teammates before correcting herself, “of your exhaustion we should find a suitable spot for both our tents and our fire pit for tonight.” 

From her reasonably comfy spot on the tree log, Janae gave a tired groan at the suggestion. 

“Must be nice to never get tired, sis.” She said as she fought the pain in her legs to stand up.

“Being a death knight has a few perks, I suppose.” Her sister responded, her light blue hair still perfectly in place in her ponytail and not a drop of sweat on her pale blue skin nor her dark streaks of her tattoo that lay across her nose. Beside her, their final member signed something with her hands to the death knight, the tauren’s brown hair woven into an intricate braid, still somehow perfectly preserved despite the vigorous exercise, along with her tan fur still remaining mud free from the trek.

“I would agree on both points,” Macy said, “The tent should be the higher priority while we still have sunlight left. We can focus on both fire and food after we are assured we have shelter for the night.” She stood from her position at the equipment and made to hand off a rolled up tent to Janae, before giving another to Crinaru. 

The two could only quietly huff in response, jokingly pretending to be encumbered by the weight of the tents before trekking away from the cliffside in search of a nearby clearing big enough for the two structures. 

Behind her, Janae could hear Macy discussing with the other two the issue of gathering firewood, finding a suitable area for the fire, and what would be best for dinner. Despite her own exhaustion and her legs still aching, she couldn’t hide the smile spreading across her face. There was just nothing like the end of the day camping that felt so relaxing, though while perhaps she preferred to be closer to a refreshing lake or river bed she could always take the serenity of the woods. 

“I think this spot’s suitable enough.” Crinaru said, clearing out the space of tree debris with her hoof. “Let’s set these up so we can get dinner going.”

“Sounds good,” Janae responded, “I think Kiona is even going to roast the rest of the bear meat we have.” 

“I pray to the Naaru for bear steaks tonight,” Crinaru spoke as she stretched out the tent and prepared the wooden stakes. “Especially after that hike you sent us on.” She added pointing the hammer she grasped at her friend. 

“I know it was a bit of a challenge-”

“I’ve had worse.” Crinaru hastily added.

“But have you seen that view?” Janae gestured to the hillside a distance from their campsite, “Once we’re all up tomorrow and the sun sets just right over those mountains, Cenarius couldn’t imagine a better sight.” 

“You better hope so,” Crinaru said while hammering in stakes, “Because by the elements I don’t think Macy will tolerate suffering that hike without some reward in it.”

“I already told her I’d take laundry duty for the next two weeks if she isn’t impressed.”

“Ha!” Crinaru responded, “Sounds like you lost a bet before it even started. You know better than all of us the only thing that can impress her is herself.” 

“Pff, we’ve been traveling together long enough to know how subtle she is with her feelings.” Janae said, testing a grounded stake with her foot. “Besides, her smiles are just that more precious when they’re a rarity.” 

Crinaru didn’t bother to hide her snort as her friend ceased her work for a moment of pleasant daydreaming, before poking her in the back with a long wooden pole. 

“Well when you’re done ogling over your girlfriend in your mind,” Crinaru effortlessly wiggled the thick heavy pole with one hand, “could actually get this tent work done before Macy chews us out.”

The night elf took no grudge against her companion as she hurried to help her continue to finish the construction of the tents. The rest of the work being played out by a serene silence, the two lost in their own thoughts as they managed to finally focus on the task at hand. 

“It has been a while hasn’t it?” Crinaru broke the silence, as the two were putting their last touches on the campsite. 

“Hmm,” Janae hummed, “What has?”

“Our job, I suppose. This adventure we all decided we to go on. This whole trip. It’s been a long ride together, huh?”

For the first time in a long while, Janae didn’t have an immediate response. It almost pained her that she never really considered how long it had been since she had first started so excitedly onto exploring Azeroth. How long it had been since she started gathering the group all together, how even battered, bruised, and even damaged they all still managed to make it to this point. That even when destruction rained down around them, through all the tragedy that they were forced to face, be it monsters or worse they were still somehow here. Despite the plague of death and despair, she was lucky enough to still find herself laughing away with one of her greatest friends.

“Janae? J-an-ae?” Crinaru’s voice called her back to the present, as she suddenly took notice of the blue hand waving in front of her face. 

“You alright?” Her partner’s concerned voice spoke, “You just got a real sad look on your face there for a moment, and went quiet.” 

“Yeah,” Janae said, her familiar smile returning. “Just got a little lost in my memories.”

Before Crinaru could pry further, the two of them were interrupted by a sharp whistle that emanated from near the site of the now cackling fire. As a tall figure waved them over, beckoning them to return to the main group.

“Well I’ve worked up more than my share of an appetite.” Janae joked, patting Crinaru’s back before casually jogging towards the others. 

“Uh, yeah.” Crinaru responded, her concern was still lightly focused on her friend, though her stomach won out on claiming her attention in the end as she ran after Janae. “Bear steaks here I come!”

The two trotted up to the remaining members talking around the splintering fire, making out the last points of the main conversation between the three.

“I can’t see anything other than the standard bear or wolf being our biggest concern in this forest, and we can’t lose our chance at restocking our supplies.” Macy said, arms crossed and standing strong in her position. 

In return Kiona signed her response to the rest of the team, in turn they translated her concerns about both hunting so late in the day and the risk of a water run. Their territory was not completely unfamiliar but that still left plenty of room for surprises, especially during the darker hours of the night. Though plenty of dangerous creatures preferred their habitat to more chaotic areas, it still left the possibility of a number of enemies that could easily stalk them under the darkness. She further argued that they had plenty for the night, and could easily make due until the sun returned to them again. 

“I understand your caution,” Macy said, “ But Loque'nahak is already scouting out the area around us.” As she spoke a blue flicker of light sparked from a few paces over near the treeline, as a snowy spotted leopard accented with an icy glow appeared out of the foliage claiming his space next to his tauren owner. In return Kiona gave him a soft stroking, taking note of his calm demeanor assuring her and the rest of the team that the area was secure enough.

“And seeing as he hasn’t seen any imminent danger,” Macy continued, “I would risk a swift trip down to the previous stream we had passed by earlier.” Raising one of her hands she twirled the luminescent purple light stream that summoned from her fingers. “I can summon Belkath and have him help me with the rest of the work here if anyone wants to volunteer for the water run.”

Kiona was the first to sign her response, “I should stay here and help prepare dinner, as well as keep Loque'nahak here to help survey the area once more.” She motioned. 

“Perhaps I should go,” Elyna spoke next, her demeanor calm as ever. “I don’t have to worry about fatigue, and I can easily fight my way through anything that may appear.” 

“Yeah, but as tough as you are sis, I would say I’m the fastest of the team.” Janae countered, “If I shapeshift into either bird form or even my travel form I could make it to the river and back easy.” She finished with a strong pose, gaining a couple of smiles from the others.

“And what are you suggesting, huh?” Crinaru rebutted with a smirk, “Even as fast as you are you lack the muscle to tug back enough water for all of us.” She finished with a flash of her muscles. 

“It won’t matter if I make enough trips fast enough.” Janae retorted.

“It won’t matter if I only need to make one trip.” Crinaru responded.

“Not if I do it faster than your trip.”

“Not if you don’t bring back nearly enough water.”

“Well if I -”

“Well if the two of you continue to keep bickering through the night, none of us will get any water.” Macy’s strong tone cut through the two voices, causing them to reel back from their bickering and take in the sun's lower position on the horizon.

The two of them looked back at each other and to none of the group’s surprise, began to laugh while trading friendly punches with the other. The rest of the team offered their own smiles at the antics, already plenty used to the performances of the two. 

“Alright, guess it’s best if we go together, watch each other's backs and all.” Crinaru said. “Between the two of us we’ll get more than enough water.” 

“Yeah!” Janae cheered. “Just leave it to us.” She added giving a playful wink to Macy.

Much to the night elf’s delight, she could make out the slightest hint of a smile tugging at Macy’s lips, as the human pretended to be annoyed. Janae quickly calmed her fluttering stomach, taking in all she could of the sight of her partner being so adorable before being tugged by Crinaru linking arms with her.

“Come on,” Crinaru said, leading Janae away from the camp, her other arm carrying two large buckets. “Let’s get this done so we can finally eat.” 

“Alright,” Janae playfully smiled, as she unlinked her arm and swiftly grabbed a bucket from her partner, “But if I make it to the river first, I’ll make it back to camp first too and I guess I’ll just have to eat your share then.” She said before taking the handle of the bucket in her mouth, as her teeth began to grow into larger fangs, claws grew from her hands as she grasped at the ground, and fur began to grow completely over her body. The spots on her new fluffed coat seemed like a blur as her feline paws pounced on the ground and took off in a gallop, the bucket dangling awkwardly from her mouth and she ran.

“Oh,” Crinaru smiled competitively, “So that’s how it’s going to be.” She laughed as she grasped the bucket handle in her mouth as well, her own body turning almost transparent as her hooves were traded for paws, her mouth growing into a snout, and her body covered itself in a new furry layer. She only seemed a passing wisp as she buckled after Janae, her tail flapping in the wind and panting breath around the handle as she ran to catch up.

“If they aren’t back in thirty minutes,” Elyna commented from the sidelines, “I’m going to look for them.”

“I wouldn’t worry,” Macy replied. “Their stomachs will drive them back here more than anything else would.” 

Beside her Kiona’s hands signed to Macy, causing her to let out a small sigh.

“Or another race.” 

~*~

The river bed was a tranquil spot as the sky descended from it’s orange incandescent into a serene shade of blue. The forest offered the soft noises of bird song and gentle hoof steps, as nature prepared to wake it’s nocturnal life. 

This all came to a clattering crash as two figures sped weaving through the trees, followed by a clunking sound and the chimes of laughter that rang throughout the area. Two four legged figures both came to a near crash by the riverbed as they barely managed to prevent themselves from being completely submerged in the bitter cold water. 

Unceremoniously dropping their buckets onto the gravel, they flopped over panting for air and desperately trying to catch their breath. Their once furred coats disappeared back into rough and bruised skin, their teeth returning to their fixed positions in their mouths, and the two of them remaining splayed out on the ground as they continued to pant and groan at their sore limbs. 

“Totally,” Janae began, taking pauses to talk in between intakes of breath, “beat,” breath, “you,” breath, “here.” She finished, trying to position herself back up into a sitting position.

“You,” Crinaru spoke between her own sharp intakes, “Wish.” 

As Janae ignored her legs screaming at her for the rigorous exercise, she shakily stood up and stumbled over to her companion to offer her an open hand. 

In return Crinaru gratefully accepted, holding tight to the warm grasp and allowing herself to be pulled upward and onto her aching legs. 

“Your prosthetic okay?” Janae managed to speak without pause.

“Yeah,” Crinaru responded, taking a moment to survey her metal foreleg. “Still intact, but needs some good maintenance work back at camp.”

Turning her attention to the river, Janae kneeled down and thrust her hands into the water. She slightly shivered as she cupped her hands in the chilling water before bringing it to her face, greedily gulping the crisp taste and sighing at the relief of her burning throat. Beside her she heard the crunching of gravel and spotted her partner copying her own actions, smacking her lips in satisfaction before wiping her mouth with her arm. 

The two stayed there for a moment, sprawling out their legs and finally catching their rampant breathing and taking in the serenity of the riverside. The sun having said it’s fond farewell as it dipped behind the mountains, while in turn the moon slowly began to appear to take its place in the sky. The woods on either side of them near silent as the wildlife having since taken to finding less loud night elf and draenei populated areas. 

Crinaru wasn’t usually one for silence, she supposed in some way that went against what was taught to her as a shaman, or even the teachings of her own people. She could still accept it when she had time to meditate, when she focused and kept her thoughts in tight concentration or as she wove wounds together, or in the quiet nights snug together with the others in the tents, granted someone wasn’t on another snoring fit. 

But there was something far better about lively tavern singing, crowds cheering in celebration, the echoes of delighted laughter that gave that warm subtle feeling of being able to relish the moment. Almost as if all that noise could chase away the darkness, restore hope to all those weary and restless, give her something she could really fight for with all of herself. Crinaru’s prosthetic leg pained slightly at her knee, as she cursed inside her mind at her negligence at it’s upkeep. 

“Hey, we should prob-” Turning to address her friend beside her, Crinaru halted as she saw Janae’s attention being immersed by a distraction behind them. Shifting her own gaze she gazed into the forest in search of what enraptured the night elf’s focus. 

Fireflies. Crinaru could only guess how many of them there could be as they dazzled the dark shadows of the trees and flickered from out of the grass. 

“There are so many.” Janae commented, her eyes darting around their surroundings seeing the lights glimmer from all directions. 

“Yeah,” Crinaru replied, offering a light laugh before continuing. “Reminds me of that time we all got stuck in the Redridge Mountains. We were just trying to pass through but got caught up in all those townspeople’s requests and ended up camping the night out in the hillsides.”

Janae gave a chuckle in response, smiling fondly at the memory. 

“Yeah,” she said. “That was before Elyna joined up with us. I remember Macy being so cross with us for staying out so late, she was complaining about looking forward to one night sleeping on an actual bed at the inn. But once the fireflies showed up, she almost seemed wonderstruck.”

“Still complained about camping till we got enough silver for a seperate night at the inn.” Crinaru added. “Besides, she grew up in Westfall, there's bound to be plenty of insect life there. Probably saw ancestors know how many fireflies.”

“Mmm, yeah I guess.”

The two fell back into another span of silence, both content with simply watching the lightning bugs flicker through the maze of tree limbs. Crinaru stole a glance at her companion catching the same tired and weary eyed expression on her face that she noticed before back at camp. She knew Janae to be someone who was always outgoing, offering smiles and brave faces. Always, at the very least promising people that they’d all do their best, to try and accomplish at least something that was asked of them. 

If something had bothered her, Crinaru remembered all the times she’d heard her silently weeping to her sister just outside their campgrounds, trading tired looks and cuddling up to Macy both silent in contemplation, or being encompassed by the supportive arms of Kiona in a much needed embrace. Between the two of them, they counted on each other more for breaking the other out of pity parties, dragging each other back into the flow of things, going on crazy competitions against the other as a much needed distraction. She felt so awkward when it came to bedside manner, as whenever tragedy struck she’d take it as a weight and just told herself to push through it. After all that depressive feeling is no different than some ill intentioned villain, once you’ve beaten through it you’re free, right? 

But throwing punches would not win out this time, and Janae being so absorbed by a testament to nature was one thing, but paired with a face that looked as if it was getting sulkier by the moment was something else entirely. 

“Hey, Janae?” 

“Hmmm?” 

“Are you feeling alright?”

“Yeah, yeah, just tired.”

“You sure?”

“Of course!” Janae’s face perked up, tossing her friend a cheery smile.

Crinaru stared back with a questionable expression, taking note of her friend’s pained smile desperately trying to keep it together, before it collapsed all together with a deep sigh. 

“Ok, maybe not.” Janae spoke, her face somber and downcast. “I was just thinking about your comment earlier.”

“Which one?”

“How we’ve been at this for so long.” Janae gave a brief chuckle before continuing. “How we managed to stick together for so long without killing each other yet.”

Crinaru gave a small laugh in return. 

“Don’t remember saying that second part,” She said. “Besides, plenty of time still left for that I’m sure.”

She took note of Janae’s expression slowly returning to its former depressed look. Her glowing gaze still locked on the flittering valley of dancing lights. 

“It’s just that, that,” She paused thinking of how to say it. “I guess I’m just,” She breathed before talking softer than Crinaru heard before.

“Scared.”

Before Crinaru could stop herself, she gave an amused snort at her friend’s predicament. Earning her a hurt look from Janae, which in turn stopped the draenei’s laughter in its tracks.

“Sorry,” Crinaru apologized. “It’s just, I thought everyone already knows this about each other. You can’t tell me you’ve looked into the eyes of a lava coated, death defying dragon and not have known the meaning of fear.”

“It’s not that,” Janae exasperated. “Or well it kind of is I guess.” 

“It’s just that I got to thinking,” She continued. “About how long it's been. Years. Years of us all firing cross bolts, shooting off spells, and tearing down Azeroth’s villains.”

“It’s been ages of us just traveling as a rag tag group, just the five of us with a couple of extended friends. We’ve seen so much death, so much chaos, so much despair.”

“We’ve seen lives torn apart, we’ve seen lovers separated, families broken. I’ve had horrible creatures even get inside my head! We lived through all of that!”

With each exclamation Janae had grown more distraught, waving her arms in front of her and nearly yelling each word. Before freezing in place, her breaths labored as suddenly tears began to well up in her eyes. Her cheeks now soaked as her body crumpled up and she held herself close. 

“I just want to know,” Janae spoke softly. “Why are we still here and smiling, when so many other people never got the same chance? What about all those places and people we’ve met that are gone forever now?”

Crinaru wasn’t sure how to respond, she realized her friend had been storing up negativity to the bursting point. Which ended up being by a riverside in a dark forest, with only the two of them surrounded by countless fireflies. She silently cursed inside of her head again, swallowing all of her own doubts and fears of worsening the situation at hand and did the only thing she could think of.

Quietly sobbing into her arms, Janae was startled when she felt something warm clasp onto her figure from the side, before recognizing Crinaru’s strong embrace holding her close. She only took a moment before relenting into the draenei’s arms, her head cradled on her friend’s sturdy shoulder. 

“We’re supposed to be heroes,” She spoke through her sobbing, muffled slightly by her friends' embrace. “We’ve dealt with everything Azeroth and beyond had to throw at us. We’ve seen such horrors that still haunt me even when I’m awake. So how can I crumble now when nothing is even wrong?”

Crinaru remained silent, taking in Janae’s words and squeezing her friend a little tighter as she continued.

“I guess it’s just,” She took a ragged breath, trying to calm her sobs. “After Deathwing, after Auberdine, after Azeroth almost fell to pieces. I had always hoped some places would stay the same, even after all that destruction we saw everywhere else. But things are all so different now.” 

“And when you said about how long it’s been, it got me thinking about how we lost so many things. And I’ve already thought about it before, but,”

What if I lost all of you?” 

Gently pulling away from the hug, Crinaru took Janae by the shoulders and stared deep into her watery eyes. The night elf’s cheeks were damp along with a few stray strands of silvery hair that was plastered to her skin, her breathing still uneven despite her attempts to calm herself. 

“Well,” Crinaru spoke gently. “I would hope you’d keep moving.” 

“You already know my story,” She continued. “My people have been chased from homeland to home to Azeroth. We’ve had countless deaths, our bones are pressed into the dirt beyond the Dark Portal. But we’re still here.”

She took a small sigh before finishing her thought, a smile creeping its way back onto her face.

“I’m still here.”

The draenei shifted her arm to curve around her weeping companion’s back, bringing her in softly once more and resting her head on Janae’s. 

“I’ve already told you about my parents,” Crinaru said, looking out over the cacophony of fireflies still buzzing in the woods. “My mother was a devoted priest to the light, my father a great paladin defender of our kind.”

“You said you lost them when everyone had fled to the Exodar,” Janae sniffled as she spoke. “They stayed behind to try and help as many as they could, to be a part of the illusion that you were wiped out. Like a set of real heroes.”

“Yeah,” Crinaru sighed. “I wanted to be so much like them, that even when everyone was evacuating I tried to stay behind and follow in their example.” She gave a short, sad laugh before she continued. “Ended up having to be swept up by my three brothers, took all of them to handle my screeching and thrashing as I screamed for our parents.”

“But by the time everyone had made it to the ships,” The draenei’s expression turned serious, her eyes searching for something that wasn’t there as she squeezed her friend tighter. “There was no hope for them, for any of the others that stayed behind. We weren’t even sure if we’d make it out ourselves after we realized our ships had been sabotaged.” 

“Though nevertheless,” Crinaru continued, turning her head downward to bump foreheads and stare fondly at Janae. “I’m still here, aren’t I?”

“Yeah, “Janae said, mirroring that same fond smile. “I guess you are.” 

“And you know what?”

“What?” 

“I’m happy.”

“Hmph,” Janae smiled brightly in response. 

“I mean, you remember meeting me right?” Crinaru shook her friend gently, getting a giggle out of the other. “I was so serious and aggressive. Almost made a better Macy than Macy does.”

Janae held her hand over her mouth in an attempt to suppress her laughter, only to fail as she snorted with giggles.

“But after you came around, and offered to take me with the three of you.” Crinaru said, her smile softening as she looked on. “I felt a whole new wave of emotions, I was somewhere totally foreign with races I’ve never seen before. But after we made it through the Dark Portal, after we trekked the Outlands, after I got to see Azeroth, what you all really fought for.” Crinaru turned her gaze back to her friend’s eager face, pulling her close again and drinking in the shared warmth. 

“I realized I found my new home. And my new family.”

“Have you ever looked back?”

“Of course, all the time, especially when it’s silent. It’s not something I can just forget, nor are there people I had loved that I can just replace. But that doesn’t mean I can’t find new people to love, or find a new place where I belong. We’re adventurers after all, we belong anywhere we can set foot on.”

Hiccuping once, Janae wiped at her puffy eyes with her hands before taking in a deep breath. 

“You alright?”

“Yeah,” Janae exhaled, her breaths even and her eyes finally dry. “Sorry about that.”

“Eh, don’t worry about it.” Crinaru said as she raised her hand to rustle her friend’s hair, earning her a laugh in response. “Naaru knows how long you’ve been storing all that in for. It’s good to get your emotions out.” 

Shifting her weight back onto her feet, Crinaru dusted herself off before offering a hand to her companion. In turn Janae graciously took the offer, being raised to her feet and taking in the sights around them again.

“Azeroth really is beautiful, huh?” Janae commented.

“It’s no Draenor,” Crinaru said. “But I’ll admit, it’s a perfect new home.”

The two took another moment to admire the twinkling of lights before them, the tranquility of the night only being disturbed by the soft sounds of buzzing wings and the babble of the stream. 

And for once, Crinaru realized she didn’t mind the silence.

~*~

“I’m going after them.” Elyna announced, already beginning to walk down to the slope.

“Give them another five minutes,” Macy called from behind her. “They must have just gotten caught up competing with each other.”

“Hmm.” Elyna grumbled, but did as she was told as she stood by the edge of the trees for any sign of their missing members.

The camp’s silence resumed as Macy busied herself with overseeing the organization of their supplies, Kiona continued to cook over the campfire having no worries the two would be waltzing back any moment, as Elyna remained at guard.

It was another minute, four minutes before the worried death knight had half a mind to drag her sister and friend back to camp already, that they all stood attention at the sudden intrusion of noise in the trees. A clamor of steady footsteps and mixed laughter raced towards their encampment, accompanied by a scattering of disturbed birds flying away from the disruption of their sleep. 

Elyna wasn’t sure to draw her sword or keep it sheathed, plenty of monstrous creatures were known to mimic laughter and she dare not take chances. Kiona and Macy also had been brought to attention from their work, staring down the dark forest edge and steeling themselves for the worst. 

Yet when the two familiar blue faces cheerfully came into view, panting and wheezing from no doubt having run with the two water buckets filled to the brim, the atmosphere dropped back to its usual serenity. 

“Totally beat you this time!” Janae remarked. 

“No way,” Crinaru retorted. “Had you beat by a long mile!”

“Where were you two?” Elyna asked, her arms crossed. 

The two stopped their bickering when they realized the concerned and more importantly questioning faces of the others staring at them. They quickly offered embarrassed smiles in response, before glancing at each other and returning their attention to the group. 

“Sorry,” Janae spoke first. “Saw some fireflies and we got caught up in sight seeing.” She said as she lowered her bucket to the ground, her sore arms now matching her legs.

“It’s my fault,” Crinaru said, easily still holding her own water. “Started chatting Janae up and we lost track of time.” She noticed the quick sincere glance that Janae responded with, but remained pressing her attention to the mock interrogation. 

“I figured as much.” Macy said, her former tense expression dropping into a tired sigh. “At least you remembered the water. It should be plenty for tonight and tomorrow.”

“Yeah,” Crinaru confirmed. “But what about those bear steaks?”

~*~

She supposed the silence wasn’t so bad, at least it allowed her to sleep without being disturbed. But even so Crinaru couldn’t shake those negative vibes that chased her through the rest of the evening, even as she lay exhausted and weary snug in her shared tent. Gripping the fur lining of her sleeping bag, she pushed herself further into the soft plush and basked in the comforting warmth. She supposed she looked rather silly with only her horns sticking out of the opening, but she hadn’t a care about her appearance when she was cozily snug.

Though she wished she could have said the same for her other teammates, as while Kiona and Macy were likely drifting off in their own tent over a space, with Elyna taking guard duty for the night arguing that death knights did not require sleep. For Janae however, Crinaru could see the dim glow of her eyes in the bleak darkness, disappearing for moments only to light up again. Something was surely still bothering her, but the druidess wasn’t one to bring up any more old wounds unless pushed.

“Hey,” Crinaru whispered. “You awake?”

The sudden shuffling beside her told her that the night elf was surely deep in thought if she was startled by Crinaru’s voice. Soon followed by the soft and weary voice of Janae, likely exhausted as the night dragged on.

“Y-yeah,” She stuttered. “Thinking I guess.”

“Hmmmph,” Crinaru hummed. “About earlier?”

“A little, still tangled up in some of my thoughts.” Janae paused briefly before continuing. “I was thinking whether to talk to the others or not.”

“Yeah, sure, go ahead.” 

“What?” Janae dangerously outburst, thankfully just silent enough that the camp did not fall into calamity over the disruption. “No argument, no debate, just an “Ok?”

Crinaru gave a long yawn, she was far too tired for any arguing on this, it wasn’t even her decision in the end. 

“Yeah, just like that.” She responded, shifting onto her back. “We’re your friends after all, we’ve been through the thickest and the barely thin. You’ve heard plenty from all of us shouting complaints and having breakdowns, we’ve been figuring it’s been your turn for ages now.”

Janae was silent for a moment, Crinaru began to worry that perhaps she said the wrong thing. Even when she had her moments, she always said that she wasn’t really one for providing comfort outside of the occasional support hug or two. 

It was only when a soft chuckle broke the heavy silence that the draenei allowed herself to breathe. She hadn’t realized she was holding her breath, but she was firmly aware of the wave of relief she felt when Janae’s whispered voice returned.

“Yeah,” The night elf agreed in a lighter tone. “Guess even after so long there’s still plenty left for me to learn. Have to realize when I’m the one who needs to lean on someone else for awhile.”

“Yep, you big dummy.” Crinaru retorted, freeing her arm to give her friend a loving and light punch to her sleeping bag. “Now let me sleep.”

“Hmm.” Janae hummed. “Okay, goodnight.”

“Goodnight.”

~*~

“Well, I’d have to admit it. That’s a sight alright.”

“Told you didn’t I?”

“Yeah, yeah, you did. But Macy’s the one you’re really aiming for.”

Basking in the warm light of the new morning, Crinaru and Janae stood at attention peering at the sunrise that was beginning to lift over the mountain tops in the distance. Though still sore and weary, the draenei had to give her friend credit at finding the perfect spot to watch the beginning of the morning light gently wash over the canyon bringing the colors of the forests and fields to life. Birds already began to stir, some taking flight and singing their dulcet tones as they flocked together. Using her farsight the shamaness could even observe the larger herbivores coming to greet the day, a family of deer twitching their noses while hares ever carefully foraged with their ears at attention. 

In all the splendor and beauty that came just from camping out and enjoying a sunrise, Crinaru smiled to herself as she admitted, Azeroth really was a beautiful place to call home.

“She said to give her five minutes.” Elyna announced as she walked up to the two. “Kiona’s already on breakfast duty.”

“Five minutes and the sunrise might as well be over with.” Crinaru griped as she turned to face the approaching death knight. “Can’t understand how anyone could sleep in so long.”

“After everyone ganging up on me over that hike yesterday, I thought you’d be more considerate.” Janae laughed, winking at her friend with a teasing smirk. 

“Yeah,” Crinaru responded with a wry smile. “We do learn to come together when it comes to making fun of you.” She playfully elbowed her companion, whom in turn snickered at the comment. Even Elyna who remained stoic behind the two had a hint of a smile on her face, as she turned away to hide it.

The trio interrupted by the sound of a pair of hoofsteps, as a friendly face arrived with a set of mugs passing them out to the group while keeping an extra cup on the large rock next to them for their absent member. 

The now four figures all taking a moment to fully take in the sunrise as they all remained silent in thought. Though the moment was short lived as a subtle groan grabbed their attention to their final member shuffling her way towards them, her eyes still groggy and her outfit hastily put on. 

“Forget laundry duty,” Crinaru said as Kiona handed Macy her much needed cup. “I’d put fifty gold on the line that this sight wasn’t worth the effort.” Motioning to the view next to them. 

“Hmmm.” The half-asleep human hummed in response, taking her time drinking from her tin mug before bothering to look at the center of attention. Her face never shifted from it’s calm expression even as she finally took in the acclaimed view. “I suppose you could argue that.”

“Pfff.” Crinaru nearly snorted as she tried to hide her laughter. “Told you she wouldn’t budge!” 

“I’ll admit though,” Macy continued, as she ignored the loud outburst from her friend. “It was worth it to be able to enjoy the moment of us here together.”

Though it was quickly hidden behind another sip from her cup, the human’s subtle smirk was out in the open just enough to warrant Janae’s face to beam from the sight. The five of them together, sans one leopard still stalking the outer parts of the campsite, all matched their expressions with content smiles of their own. 

“We never really get many moments like this too often, huh?” Elyna commented, returning her gaze back to the last remnants of sunrise. “Seems like half of our time is devoted to either fighting or traveling.”

“Keeps us in shape.” Kiona joked, earning a half hearted chuckle out of the night elf. “But we have been together awhile, huh?”

“I’ll say,” Crinaru said, making eye contact with Janae as the two smiled at each other. 

“What a long strange trip it’s been!”


	2. A Retreat to Moonglade

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A slight head-cannon on Death Knights, I always considered them half dead instead of full on undead. In the idea that undead are considered completely undead when body and mind are completely decayed, while majority of death knights are simply half undead in which their bodies don't rot, their minds are in tact, they can still learn to feel feelings again, but they don't have the same needs others do such as eating. Though some are different than others, some have the need to inflict pain, some found ways around it, etc. It's non-canon but WoW is full of ret-cons and it's own issues so this is how I choose to interpret it despite any canon sources.

Moonglade had something about it that always lured Elyna in, though admittedly she could never put her finger on just what it was. Perhaps it was just the tranquility of the area, provided she already got plenty of excitement and bloodshed on the battlefield it made for a welcome contrast to the usual chaotic scene. The groves of trees provided a calm setting amongst the few humble buildings, and from her scope on the hill the death knight could oversee the rest of the groves along with the still lake to the east. Everything in a serene quiet apart from the low chatter of the residents and the occasional tune from a chatter of songbirds. There was something about the calm tone of the land that put her troubled thoughts at a much needed peace.

“Sis! Hey, Elyna!”

For however long it was allowed to last that is.

“Janae.” Elyna turned to face her encroaching sister, the druidess’ face flushed with enthusiasm. “Is something wrong?”

“No, it’s even better.” She said as she stood almost seeming to vibrate with excitement. “I was ecstatic to see Faeb again, but not only that I also spotted Astris and Eleath over by the lakeside to the East!”

Elyna was a master of hiding her emotions, being a death knight meant having the ability to keep herself calm in even the most dire of situations, but to the keen eye of a nosy sister nothing escaped Janae’s notice when she was focused. Which is why to the untrained eye the emotionless night elf had not reacted the slightest to the mention of the two names, yet her sister was able to see the lightest of tensing in Elyna’s form as she turned her gaze to casually glance over the water once more. 

“Perhaps Eleath is here for practice then.” Elyna said, her tone still as calm as ever. “Moonglade is a quiet place, and I’m sure a priestess of Elune would appreciate the atmosphere. Astris followed her here as usual, and I suppose they’re enjoying themselves by the lake, nothing out of place in that.” 

“Yes,” Janae agreed. “But, I’m sure they wouldn’t mind us stopping for a quick visit.”

“I suppose,” Elyna relented, still acting calm as ever. “But first let’s drop in on Faeb like we said we were going to.”

Motioning for her sister to follow her, The two began their trek, casually strolling through the hills of Moonglade past the few humble buildings. All the while Janae greeted all passerby along the way, the death knight in turn staying silent, even as both factions of Azeroth came to accept the formation of the Ebon Blades as means of necessity, it still left plenty of room for distrust and uneasy interactions between the integrated undead soldiers and the rest of the population. Leading to the best interactions with strangers being little to no interaction at all depending on the necessity of it.

“So,” Janae said as the two continued their walk. “I heard Astris learned how to conjure her biggest fireball yet, and Eleath is improving her healing spells to be better than ever!” 

Elyna silently nodded beside her sister, careful to avoid eye contact with any of the guards passing by the duo. 

“I also heard Faeb was making progress in some of her forms, I can’t wait to ask her about it.” The druidess beamed as she added a skip to her step. “You could also ask Eleath and Astris about how they’re doing while I’m talking with Faeb.”

“Perhaps, or maybe I’ll just ask them later when we see them at dinner tonight. Crinaru did tell us they’d be joining us before she left on her morning run.” 

“Yeah, but I thought you could do with some alone time with the two of them.”

“And why would I desire that?”

“Because of your burning affection for Eleath.”

Elyna uncharacteristically sputtered, before clamping her hand gently over her sister’s mouth, relieved at the lack of bystanders. 

“Please think before talking.” She scolded her sibling. 

Janae removed her sister’s gloved hand before continuing, thankful that her sister was careful with her strength.

“I just think you should tell her you’re interested already,” She said. “I’ve seen the way you always get so flustered around her, or how you smile at her jokes.” Janae’s face turned downcast, as she pointed her gaze to the ground. “After your previous relationship turned sour, and ever since you well, turned, I just want you to be happy again.”

“Janae.”

“Because you’re my sister and I love you, undead and all.”

“Janae.” 

“Even when your body temperature is freezing, and you try to stick your feet on my back whenever we have to share a bed.”

“Janae.”

“And even when-”

“Janae!” Elyna said firmly. 

“And, yeah. I just want you to be happy, sis.” Janae quickly finished.

In response Elyna gave a small sigh, she was grateful that her sister was kind enough to care about her, especially since becoming a death knight was something completely foreign and unwanted. But she always had a habit of sticking her nose into other people’s issues, something that regularly got her into trouble. 

“I know.” Elyna responded. “But this is something I’d rather deal with on my own.”

“Are you sure?” Janae questioned in response. “I mean, I know she’s already in a sort of romantic, but still platonic relationship with Astris, but she said she has been looking for a romantic relationship along with Astris being comfortable with another platonic relationship. And I know the three of you get along fine, and since I have some experience with Macy I thought I could-”

Janae was suddenly cut off as an arm wrapped around her shoulders, pulling her close in a side hug. 

“It’s alright,” Elyna said, giving her sister an affectionate squeeze. “If I need any help I’ll come to you, okay?”

It was odd to see Janae get so flustered on something, it was always her that remained clear headed in the most heated situations. And with the years of experience behind her, it almost seemed out of character for her to be so nervous about something so trivial as giving dating advice. It pained Elyna to see her oldest friend get so worried about her, especially when it came to anything outside of the battlefield. 

“Okay.” Janae sighed, taking in a quick shaky breath. “I’m always here if you need me.” 

“I’ll hold you to it,” Elyna smiled in response, before releasing her companion and continuing down the pathway. “Now let’s move, Faeb’s not going to be free all afternoon.”

Janae’s face noticeably brightened in response, taking after her sister and excitedly chattering away once more about what she was to discuss with her friend. 

~*~

“Faeb!” Janae shout out, her voice ringing out as both her and Elyna made it to the small open terrace. 

A night elf’s freckled face rose to the name, her long silvery hair shifting across her shoulders as a miniature moon shined from atop her forehead. Her expression changed from curiosity to delight as she spotted the two from her perch on the broad railing of the terrace. Her hand holding a single brush as she waved it to the both of them, her other tasked with weighing down the paper in front of her as for it not to be blown away.

“Faeb, Elune adore! It’s been far too long!” Janae cheered as she ran over to the night elf, leaning down as to tightly embrace her.

In turn Elyna walked behind at an even pacing, reaching the two far after they have already exchanged excited greetings and words. 

“Ishnu-alah,” Elyna said as she offered a hand to the druidess.

“Ishnu-alah.” Faeb said in return, taking Elyna’s hand in a respectful gesture of touch. 

“How have you’ve been?” Janae says, sitting herself down opposite of her friend on the banister. “Mel has told me you’ve made some progress in your training.” 

“Yes,” Faeb responds. “I think I’m actually understanding bear form and I’m learning a great deal on my other studies.” Her smile rivaled the bright glow of Moonglade, as the two were quickly entwined with their conversation. Faeb discussed her studies much to Janae’s excited pleasure, whom in turn could hardly wait to tell her adventuring tales to her friend.

Seeing the two distracted with their conversation, Elyna figured it would be an appropriate time to let the two catch up and leave them to it. Giving one last tired smile, she quietly moved to leave as the sound of happy chatter continued behind her. 

As she made distance and returned to the same pathway she had been walking before, she considered making her way back to their lodgings for some peaceful reading. 

“Dang it!” A voice near squealed as it echoed through the trees, some stray birds fleeing the trees from the sound. Elyna turned her attention to the source, spotting two distant figures below the hillside conversing with each other. She could already recognize the light golden haired firecracker and her softer pale green haired companion, even from the distance she was at. 

She paused for a moment to study the two, taking note of one getting frustrated at her lack of tree climbing skills, and the other flustering over her friend. A minute passed, and then another, until she realized she had been staring intensely at the two figures for some time now. Though she would never let it show, she became a little too aware of all the glances of residents and guards that had passed by. 

She breathed in deeply, and concentrated on holding it as she tried her best to casually walk down the hillslope.

~*~

“I don’t know, Astris.” A quiet voice spoke with concern. “Maybe we should start with a smaller tree?”

“No way!” Another voice responded, far more confident and loud in contrast to the previous. “If I’m going to learn how to properly climb a tree, I want to start big!”

Elyna concentrated on holding her breath, she tried her best to appear as if she were just casually walking rather than focusing her attention on the two entirely. And though while able to distract her mind even just slightly with her attention to her breathing, she couldn’t help but feel her movements must have looked rather forced. Elyna hoped they would both notice her, and not her behavior as they were seemingly distracted by their attention to the trees. 

The golden hair of the blood elf shone like a beacon through the greener palettes of the foliage, her own tan skin darkened by various bruising and a thin layer of dirt. Her torn red robes had shown signs of meticulous mending, her brown pants underneath tucked into her boots. 

To her side was a night elf pained with a worried expression occasionally fidgeting and rubbing her hands together in worry. Her clothes pale light colors of blues and white fared better in condition in comparison to that of her companion’s. 

Stepping along the worn path at a painfully slow pace, Elyna made sure to keep her expression at its natural neutral stance. She fought herself not to look at the two while she passed by them, hoping one of them would notice her and call out. 

“I didn’t learn tree climbing in a day, Astris. Maybe we should take a break so I can make sure you’re not too banged up.”

“I told you already, I’m fine! Peachy! Tip top shape! I am not going to get intimidated by a tree!” 

Having walked far past them at this point, Elyna realized this was going to be a far harder endeavor then she initially realized. As the two continued to bicker with their backs to the trail, their attention pointed at a large sapling that towered over them taking no notice of the death knight passing behind them.

Elyna silently cursed to herself, she could freeze her emotions to stare down huge flesh pieced creatures but not just to simply engage with two other elves. Looking around she noticed no other sets of eyes giving attention to her situation, and figured it wouldn’t do much harm to try her plan again. 

Turning around and walking the same painfully slow pace, she put more force down onto her feet in hopes that one of the two might look in her direction. 

“Astris, please reconsider just for a moment!” 

“Nope! My mind’s made up, and that tree’s going to bow to me one way or another!”

Nothing came out of the action, as Elyna stopped her walking and stood in place and cursed again. Her plan of action was ineffective, and as much as she wished to believe she would not have to initiate the first move to be noticed. 

~*~

“Aren’t we intruding in some way by spying on her, Janae?”

“Maybe, but you can’t tell me that it’s not entertaining, Faeb.”

~*~

Elyna worried that if she concentrated on holding her breath any longer, she would likely lose her mind solely to focusing. All she had to do was approach her targets and stammer out a hello, even if Eleath was timid Astris would surely be the one to pick up a conversation. But there was still so much that could go wrong, it wasn’t much different than an intense fight on the battlefield. And in certain thinking they both held similar costs, possible loss of people you lose should you miscalculate, misstep, or misinterpret. Same could be said for planning, conceiving a plan of attack, finally taking action or-

“Hey, Elyna!” 

A yell pulled the death knight from her thoughts as she realized she had been pacing again in her thoughts. She had rounded again through her previous steps and found herself on the worn path stepping in her previous foot indentations. Looking over to where she believed the voice originated from, she was surprised to see Astris waving to her, Eleath to her side giving a timid wave.

Elyna bit down on her tongue, the dull sense of pain bringing back the memory of a past scolding by Crinaru for the habit. Though it seemed her previous plan of attack wasn’t so hopeless as it originally seemed, as the two had noticed her at last. 

“Elyna!” Astris yelled again as she came barreling at the death knight, stopping just before the towering figure. “You want to help me climb a tree? And then help me destroy it if I can't?”

“Astris!” Eleath scolded her friend, walking up to her side.

“Kidding!” The blood elf quickly responded. “Mostly.” She added aside in a low whisper, much to her companion’s chagrin.

“Regardless,” Eleath gave an amused glance to her friend as she spoke. “It’s wonderful to see you, Elyna. Crinaru told us you were all here, but I hadn’t thought to have seen any of you until later tonight.” 

Elyna chastised herself for feeling more nervous in this moment than she previously felt staring down an army of undead ghouls, but quickly regained her composure to return the sentiment.

“I’d have to agree,” She spoke calmly as ever. “I’m elated to see the two of you sooner than later.” She tried to form a welcoming smile, but hastily decided on a pleasant expression instead considering her usual face always seemed to be an impassive glare. “Janae was telling me that you ran into Crinaru earlier.”

“Ran into her is an understatement,” Astris rolled her eyes slightly, as she gave a small huff. “More like she nearly bowled me over, I’m practically a field mouse compared to that overly muscled talbuk.” 

“Astris…” Eleath’s tired voice, quietly berated her friend with a soft but stern glare.

“It’s fine,” Astris laughed in response. “She calls me a withered fire elemental and we consider ourselves even till the next time we hurl insults at each other. It’s how our friendship works.” 

“It’s how the majority of Crinaru’s friendships work it seems.” Elyna said. 

“Exactly,” The blood elf happily agreed. “Now hold me up so I can climb this tree.” She said as she dragged the death knight by the hand over to the towering pine. Eleath’s rebuttal coming in a soft whine, knowing too well her arguments would fall on deaf ears. 

Astris’ boots crunched the grass and dirt beneath them as the trio crossed over the large gnarled roots of the tree, stopping at its base with the mage’s grip still held tightly over her friend’s arm. 

“Ok!” The blood elf spoke as she motioned for Elyna to follow, placing a hand on the trunk and looking back. “Just give me enough of a boost to reach that three branch.” She said pointing upward to a twig of a branch, high enough that the three had to strain their necks just enough to see it. 

Elyna suddenly realized why Eleath had been so insistent on getting Astris to shift her attention elsewhere, as a fall from that height would be enough to ensure serious damage to anyone unable to fly. Looking back down, she noticed the fiery determination set ablaze in the mage’s smile, her eyes pressed into a fierce gaze that was ready to spring into action as soon as she was lifted. In turn her other partner was something of a fearful mess as she refused to look anywhere else other than her friend, surely in the concern that if she were to turn away even for a moment her companion would be severely injured. 

Unsure of the right course of action in this situation, Elyna opted to do what she would if any of her other group mates had asked for a similar favor. She crouched closer to the ground, interlocking her fingers to allow Astris to find a footing and carefully lifting her up towards the sky. In turn the blood elf made an attempt to grasp the desired branch from the tree, falling short from her target by a significant distance. 

“Still not tall enough,” She said disappointed, but hardly surprised. “Think you can toss me upward?” 

“Easy enough.” Elyna responded, lowering her arms for a moment before thrusting them upward. She heard the beginning of protest from Eleath nearby as she did so, but her cries had come a moment too late as the elf was sprung far into the air, her target in sight. 

Much to the surprise of everyone but the thrower, Astris’ grip had managed to make contact with the sought out tree limb, her hands clung to the wood with the rest of her hanging down. 

“Nice throw, Elyna!” Astris shouted down, after she had swiftly recovered from her initial surprise. Eleath rebutted the statement with a concerned moan, before taking a deep breath as she tried to pull her gaze away from her friend now struggling to pull herself up onto the twig-like branch. 

The center of attention now having been able to pull the majority of her body weight onto the tree limb, shakily rose to her feet as she leaned on the main base for balance. Looking upward she spotted her next step being far less distant than the last, but still a feat to climb nonetheless. 

“Don’t worry, guys!” She shouted down as she tried her grip on the tree bark to test its hold. “I can climb up to the next branch easily!” 

Elyna expected a sound of protest from the priestess watching along with her, but hadn’t heard anything other than the strained grunts of Astris’ climbing. She allowed herself a slight peek over, catching sight of Eleath thankfully not having fainted but still overall rigid in posture as she stared dead straight at her distant companion. Her face shifted from an expression of anxiety to something of melancholy, as surely her thoughts were starting to plague her as she lost herself in thought.

Stuck in an awkward silence, Elyna wasn’t sure if she should break the tension or if she even knew how to. Janae’s voice sung through her mind, telling her to take the opportunity they had alone together, and for Cenarius’ sake to just say something. Which is why it was a great relief to the death knight when the silent priestess started to speak before she could mess up the moment in some way.

“I worry over her too much, don’t I?”

Shifting her head to better face Eleath while still attempting to keep Astris in sight, Elyna noticed her friend showing a sad smile as her eyes connected with her own. 

“N-No,” Elyna quickly stammered after realizing she probably was staring at the other night elf for a moment too long, adjusting her gaze to appear as if she was casually looking back to their main concern still far above them. She gave a sigh, collecting her thoughts before continuing her rebuttal. “I worry about Janae all the same, and she’s the one with healing magic.”

The priestess giggled at the comment, Elyna taking in the ringing of her laughter as a sign she hadn’t messed up the conversation yet. Janae’s voice congratulated her in her mind. 

“I just don’t really know where I would be without her,” Eleath said, the somber smile never leaving her face. “I’m still partially surprised that all of you weren’t shocked when I told you I had a blood elf for a best friend. Especially when Crinaru came into the group.”

In response Elyna lightly huffed. 

“My sister and her girlfriend had a tauren companion since the beginning of their adventuring group, far before I ever thought to join, and you’d imagine they’d draw the line at a blood elf?”

Eleath made to speak, but stopped herself. She let out a small laugh as she fidgeted with a section of her hair before speaking up again.

“I guess you're right,” She said. “I suppose I just been trapped in the bubble of only traveling in mainly kaldorei habitated areas. I usually don’t hear fond things of any races other than those allied with the Alliance and sometimes the Tauren.” 

She lowered her hands, moving to grasp at her robes as she helplessly writhed her hands with the smooth cloth. The two sharing another moment of quiet as the more timid of the two seemed to shift on her feet, her face painting a turmoiled expression as her gaze remained upward.

“If me being here is making you uncomfortable,” Elyna ended up blurting out, chastising herself silently for not seeing the issue sooner as the other night elf was shuffling in place. That of course a holy messenger of Elune’s will would not be able to stand the sight of an unholy creature such as herself. That she was surely just being polite to the death knight and in reality could not stand to align herself with her, just as many others had already said clearly. She needed to give her space now before the chance of pushing her away. 

“I can stand farther away.” She said making to move at least a foot or two to the side.

Yet as she went to distance herself, Elyna stopped in her tracks as a pair of hands grasped itself around her upper arm.

“N - no! You’re fine!” Eleath stuttered over her words as she gave a small tug to pull her friend back to her original position, of whom did so without protest. “I just got caught up in my thoughts again,” She said as she motioned her gaze back to the large tree in front of them. “And also I just realized how far up Astris managed to get.” 

Freezing her thoughts on thinking any further about what had just happened, Eleath’s hands still wrapped around her arm included, Elyna peeked up to witness just what Astris had managed to accomplish in the short moment the two had been talking. 

“Hey guys!” The mage’s voice was something of a far away echo, as she was surely shouting at nearly the height of her volume to ensure she was audible. “I can see all of Moonglade from up here!” 

“Oh by Elune, by Elune, by Elune.” The priestess’ grasp only tightened around her companion’s limb as she now stared at the ground sharply whispering out her goddess’ name. “Please tell her to come down now.”

“Right,” Elyna said, purposely ignoring the fact that Eleath was starting to lean her body onto hers. 

“Astris!” She shouted in hopes it would reach the elf’s ears. “I think that’s far enough!”

“What?” The blood elf replied. “Keep going?” 

“No!” Both Elyna’s loud voice along with Eleath’s timid yelling protested. 

“Ok,” Astris said with a disappointed tone, though her face contradicted her voice as a mischievous smile grew on her face. “I’ll just jump down then!” 

“What?!” Eleath’s screech managed to reach higher than her usual mild volume, her face warped into terror as she realized her friend was serious. “Astris don’t you dare-”

The night elf’s protests were cut off as she saw the mage envelop herself in a magical aura before leaping off the branch she stood on. 

Elyna wasn’t sure what to do at first, her mind snapped at her to quickly catch the falling girl before she was nothing more than a part of the ground, but stopped herself as she realized the blood elf’s falling speed was far slower than it should have been. Next to her Eleath moaned in frustration, letting go of her friend’s arm with two words that Elyna scolded herself for forgetting.

“Slow fall.” She said to no one. 

~*~

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry!” Astris whined as she was currently being embraced by Eleath, much to her displeasure as the priestess refused to let go. Elyna watched from the sidelines, stifling a smile at the display in front of her. 

“You should consider yourself lucky that this hasn’t been the first time you’ve done this.” Eleath said as she let go of her friend, instead opting to grasp her shoulders as she stared her down. “I wanted to be able to have gotten away from my responsibilities of being a healer for a bit. The crisis on Auberdine finally died down just enough and I wanted to be able to relax together in Moonglade before I’d be called off elsewhere. And yet here you are scaring me half to death the majority of the day!”

Astris said nothing at first, being conflicted between being angry and realizing that perhaps she was in the wrong. 

“Still don’t understand why we don’t just become adventurer’s already.” Astris muttered just loud enough to hear. 

“Astris,” Eleath started letting her arms slump away from her friend, but was cut off before speaking any further by her companion.

“I don’t care if I sound childish,” She said as her voice became louder, more brazen. “Azeroth is out there and yet all we’ve ever seen is only a couple cities. Safe cities at that! Where nothing ever happens and we just tell ourselves that we’ll see the world someday, but not today!”

Eleath made to speak as she opened her mouth, but closed it instead as she turned her gaze away unable to say anything.

“I know how to free fall,” Astris continued, still bitter and upset. “I’ve known it for ages now! I want to be able to actually use it for something other than tree climbing and jumping off of ladders when I visit the library.”

She raised a hand to her forehead and let out a shaky breath, her shoulders beginning to let go of her bottled tension as they slumped down. 

“I thought I could come to Moonglade and enjoy the fleeting moments I have with you, before you’re whisked off again and I barely hear a peep from you for who knows how long. So you can fill up my fleeting fantasies to last me until the next time I get to actually hang out with you again.” 

Eleath did not comment, her stoney gaze only interested in the forest floor as she grasped her arm tightly. 

A moment passed, and then two, the three left to stand awkwardly waiting for someone to break the uneasy tension between them. It ended up being Astris who spoke first, sounding out an angry groan before talking. 

“Just forget it!” She nearly shouted as she moved to walk away.

She was suddenly stopped in her tracks however, as a chilling touch suddenly wrapped around her wrist. Looking back in surprise, Astris eyes widened as they were matched with an icy gaze of Elyna who looked as if she had finally run out of patience.

“Stay.” She commanded, the blood elf offering no rebuttal, having froze in place. 

“Eleath,” The death knight said, a tad softer, motioning for the other night elf to come closer. 

The priestess in question hesitated for a moment, but quickly relented and walked over closer to the duo. 

“I don’t know what problems you two have been having,” Elyna started, letting go of her grasp. “But I can tell you now that this type of inconsistent communication would have killed both of you long ago if you dared set foot out of your safe areas.”

Neither of the girls in question said a word, though both visibly winced at the death knight words. Seeing as no one made any objections, Elyna opted to continue. 

“You have an issue, you say it.” She said as she folded her arms, turning into a lecturing instructor. “You deal with it, you talk about it, and you move on. You make boundaries, you accept those boundaries, and you say if someone oversteps them. Am I clear?”

The two silent students looked up from their fixed downward gazes and subtly nodded in acknowledgment. 

“Alright,” Elyna sighed, putting a hand to her temple. “Let’s talk about what’s bothering you and discuss it. Like adults.”

Another moment of uneasy silence came and left, as finally Astris made to speak. 

“I hate getting angry over stupid things,” She said, still not making eye contact with anyone. “But after having heard so much of what’s just beyond our city walls. The outflux of soldiers and the constant news circulating about the front lines.” She took a pause, a small breath in and out before continuing. “I guess I just wanted to be able to see it all for myself for once, the new age of Azeroth that’s going on right now just beyond the walls, the hills, and even the mountains!”

“You feel trapped?”

Astris’ eyes snapped up at the voice, coming to settle on the melancholy expression of Eleath.

“A whole world and more just beyond...” The priestess trailed off looking at the mountains before continuing, her friend made no means to interject her. “Foreign, horrifying, dangerous and cruel.” She hummed in thought, looking down with a forlorn smile. “But exciting, inviting and wonderful all the same.”

“I’m sorry, Astris.” She said as her face turned somber again. “I don’t know when I can consider myself brave enough to break through this anxiety of mine.” She took her friend’s hand in her own, squeezing them lightly. “But I know more than anything I want to be able to go somewhere with you, somewhere special and amazing. We’ll call ourselves adventurers, sleep under the stars, defeat evil creatures and everything!”

“But I understand if you're tired of waiting,” Eleath spoke, slowly letting go of her grasp. “I won’t hold you back any longer if Azeroth’s call is waiting for you out there.”

“Pffft!” Came the mage’s loud reply, a smirk adoring her face as she made to regrab on to her friend’s hands. “Like I’d ever imagine going anywhere without a healer by my side! Do you really think I could last with all the trouble I get into without you around? We’re a team!”

A snicker came from Eleath. A hint of tears pricked at the corner of her eyes contradicted by the smile growing larger on her face. The two gently knocked their foreheads together, as Astris quietly whispered. 

“Sorry I got so mad, and made you worry.” She said uncharacteristically timidly. “We can take small steps with adventuring, alright?” 

“Alright,” Eleath whispered back. “I’m sorry I can’t be the daring partner you want.”

“Eh, don’t worry about it.” Astris nonchalantly huffed, leaning back from the half embrace. “Having another person with the same energy as me would definitely not go well.”

“Still,” Eleath spoke, rubbing gently at her eyes. “Let’s think of somewhere to go, somewhere we’ve never been before!” 

“Winterspring.” Came Elyna’s voice interrupting the two. 

Turning away from each other, they both looked curiously at the death knight.

“It’s close by and with very few threats should you choose to stay on the road.” She continued, looking away for a moment likely out of embarrassment for intruding on the moment. 

“Winterspring… Just beyond the mountains of Moonglade?” Eleath asked, intrigued. “Through Timbermaw hold?”

“It’s relatively peaceful, if you don’t count the hostile furbolgs and yetis.” Elyna continued. “Let me talk it over with the others and I’m sure we could find the time to all travel there together.”

“You hear that, Eleath?” Astris said as her face beamed. “First stop Winterspring, next stop all of Azeroth!”

“I think maybe we should just start with Winterspri-” Eleath’s voice was cut off as she was led away by hand by her companion suddenly guiding her back towards the buildings of Moonglade. 

“Elyna come on!” The mage called out behind her as she stopped for a moment. “Let’s go find the others and talk already!”

In response the death knight observed the two for a moment before ultimately smiling to herself, moving to follow them as she began walking.

~*~

The rest of the evening thankfully had gone by without any further hitch, Janae’s excitement mirroring Astris’ to the point where Elyna feared the inn might have burst from being unable to contain it. Thankfully the building hadn’t suffered any serious damage, though it took some careful consideration to calm the two down for dinner. Yet it hadn’t done much considering they only continued their festivities of stories and such well through the rest of the waking hours. It was only when the moon shone far up into the sky with everyone retired to their beds did the silence finally settle. Save for the lone footsteps of one death knight, quietly shuffling onto the grassy field before seating herself onto the hillside in view of the shimmering lake surface. 

Even as the wind picked up just enough to send a chilly breeze over her she did not flinch. She remained a sole audience for the shining light show of the stars, taking in the natural beauty while her eyes wandered over the lakeside after some time, taking notice of the few stray lights across the water. She mused that surely some of the nocturnal night elves were at work, most likely patrolling the area. For that reason she hadn’t been startled by the sudden sound of footsteps behind her, the soft sound of grass being compressed under their weight as they slowly closed in on her position. What had ended up freezing her in place with a sudden shock was the familiar voice that came with it. 

“Elyna?” Eleath’s voice was tired as she quietly shuffled over to her friend’s side before speaking again. “Mind if I join you?”

“Not at all.” The death knight quickly responded, her gaze staring straight ahead. Even as the priestess decided to sit rather close to her, she refused to turn her eyes anywhere else. 

The tranquil quiet of the night returning to encompass them as they both sat together, the moon shining down adding to what Elyna’s mind would only let her interpret as the romantic atmosphere. She gently bit her tongue to help clear her head of any thoughts, letting her mind shift to a blank state in a sort of meditation. The few dancing lights across the water continued to glow, her head continued to empty itself, and the night continued on with neither making a sound. 

“I wanted to thank you for earlier.” Eleath’s timid voice finally spoke through the heavy silence, as Elyna let go of a breath she had not realized she had been holding. “You’ve really seen a lot of Azeroth and more, huh?”

“I suppose so,” The death knight responded. “Admittedly, I’ve only really seen Azeroth though. I wasn’t present for Outland’s expedition by means of my sister’s group or the Alliance forces.”

“Really?” The priestess said surprised. “I guess that makes sense, since I think you mentioned once before you worked as a caravan guard.”

“Right, I became one for a group here in Azeroth at the same time the expeditions had made their way into Outland.” Elyna awkwardly chuckled to herself. “It ended up being a horrible decision seeing what happened to me, probably would have been safer in Outland.” 

Eleath’s face has twisted into a turmoiled expression, the death knight regretting her words as she was sure she had ruined the moment. She was about to take back her statement, or at least try and change the topic to something more uplifting when the priestess spoke up. 

“Do...” She trailed off, pausing before trying again. “Do you think you would have prefered dying over what you’ve become?”

In a rare moment, Elyna was caught off guard as she stared back with wide eyes. It’s not that she hadn’t considered the question before, as her turmoiled mind had asked herself it many times over. It was rather that she hadn’t considered anyone else having the curiosity to ask it, as the vast majority of non-death knights wanted very little to do with her outside of necessity. 

“I-” She began but was cut off by her friend’s shaky voice. 

“Y-you don’t have to answer that!” The priestess said waving her hands as she looked away in embarrassment. “I shouldn’t have asked, I’m sorry!”

Elyna felt something odd in her stomach, as she realized there was a hint of fluttering in her chest as she stared at the flustered form of the red faced night elf. And though nervous as a juggernaut of a death knight talking to her crush could be, she gathered up enough courage to do something Janae would surely be proud of her for. 

Eleath ceased her fumbling words with a light squeeze of her shoulder, the firm hand having been placed by Elyna.

“It’s okay.” Her calm voice spoke. “In all honesty, I’ve thought about it a lot since I’ve been turned.”

She self-consciously removed her hand from the priestess’ shoulder, only for her breath to catch as she felt the warmth from it being grasped in two other hands. Instead of swiveling her head to look at her companion in surprise, she instead kept her head downward as she focused on continuing her train of thought as if she hadn’t noticed.

“I know if I had died I wouldn’t be ostracized by others, I know they would have painted me as some valiant warrior who died defending innocents, my sister would have surely seen to that. Alongside never having done everything I’ve been forced to, my own free will to decide what I wanted. But even so,” Elyna gave the smallest smirk despite her troubled expression. “Being a death knight meant getting to see my family again, it meant having the ability to do more good than I could have ever imagined, it meant…” She trailed off as she dared to look over at the priestess next to her. The night elf’s face was something of distress and concern, Elyna’s words being caught in her throat as she reconsidered her next statement. “It meant being able to meet all kinds of others, even ones that don’t consider me an abomination.”

With that Eleath managed her own sad smile, her grasp tightening gently before releasing, the other almost reaching for them back before catching herself. 

“Azeroth holds all kinds of people, huh? Even the odd pair of friends like us.” 

“I guess it does.” Elyna responded, the two falling into silence again as they both turned their attention back to the lights across the lake. The death knight drinking in the warmth of her partner next to her, the moment added to the ever growing list of why perhaps it wasn’t completely unbearable that she became what she was. 

~*~

“Ready?” Astris asked with an overwhelming enthusiasm, one hand tightly on her backpack strap the other grasping her friend’s hand. 

“I think so.” Eleath responded, turning to stare into the dark tunnels before her, lit by a number of torches on the wall. 

The tunnels of the Timbermaw Hold stretched out above them, through which held the sought out route straight to Wintergrasp’s beautiful snow fallen setting. The other’s of their group already have made headway in, mainly out of Janae’s insistence and slight impatience to visit the Timbermaw furbolgs. Though other than the two newest adventurers, one other of the team had thought to stay behind to make sure the pair hadn’t had any issues. 

“Elyna!” Astris shouted behind them. “You coming or what?”

“Be right there.” The death knight responded, trekking up the hill to come to a pause next to them. “You two all set?”

“You know it!” The blood elf said pulling her partner close with a beaming grin. “Now let’s get going already!”

And with that the mage let go of her grasp and made her way into the illuminated tunnels, Eleath following behind at a far slower pace. 

“Still nervous?” Her remaining companion asked catching up to her. 

“A little.” The priestess said. “But I think I’ll be okay,”

Elyna had to steel herself from jumping at the sudden warm feeling of her hand being embraced by another. 

“I have plenty of friends to help me see this through.”

“Y-yep,” The now tensed night elf stuttered out, now biting softly at her tongue as she took the initiative to lead her companion into the winding burrows. The two remaining in that state until they had finally made their way past furbolg and furbolg again, until reaching the long sought snowy landscape.

Though even long after they had let go of their clasped hands, Elyna swore she could feel that warmth enveloping herself, despite her own body’s chill.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you don't already know her artwork, Faeb is a character from the talented artist Faebelina. Find her work on twitter @Faebelina. I wanted to give her character a cameo in the story because of how much she's been an inspiration for me, so go check her out!


	3. Of Demon Hunters and Chores

Elyna wasn’t sure at first what to make of the demon hunters, as a death knight she wasn’t sure if she should have felt a relation to them considering their shared status as outcasts. It was rather difficult to sympathize though when one of the two classes had been able to have chosen their position, and she was stuck with the consequences of a decision she, and most of the other knights had no power over. 

But sitting where she was now, at the recent ending of their previous war in an uneasy but undeniably celebrated period of peace until the next series of events thrust Azeroth into chaos once more, Elyna still wasn’t exactly sure how to feel about the demon hunters. Especially when one of the current Illidari leaders was struggling with the task of trying to request a drink from the busy tavern girl just a few paces away from her.

It wasn’t that the dark haired, long locks braided, long curled horned, demonic night elf lacked the confidence to speak up, it was rather she had little clue how to go about it in the first place. She’d raise her hand every time the preoccupied server would weave through the various patrons, only for her face to contort in confusion as she realized she had no idea of what to say, her arm falling back to her side as the waitress would pass by. The ambience of chatter and the ring of laughter from another group would sound through the building burying any words she might have tried to speak, leaving her with a scowling expression and creating a small unoccupied space around her where many dare not tread. 

It was something of a mirror image to Elyna, a reflective fragment of a past memory of her own experiences of having been thrust back into the overwhelming, and perhaps at times boring daily life of most inhabitants of Azeroth after her own transformation. A warm and inviting, not to mention neutral tavern was nothing like the cold embrace of Northrend, the intensity of facing unfathomable leagues of monsters, or even having lead a whole rebellion against another invading species. Having been dragged once before by her sister and her group into this place was akin to taking an oceanic fish to freshwater lake, along with the long road for her to recover back to whom she was today. Elyna expected the demon hunter to have the same issues considering how she was acting. 

It wasn’t exactly as if the night elf was a complete stranger either, considering Janae was always one to drag another impromptu team member on special occasions. Nelora just having been the unfortunate soul to have caught her sister’s recruiting eye half way through their trek of the legion’s assault. Her presence at the tavern was of similar results from the group’s meddling and insistence, definitely much to her chagrin. 

“I’ll be right back.” Elyna said to her friends, all engaged in their own conversations.

“Going to check on our demon hunter friend?” Macy asked between sips of her tankard, still far sober in comparison to the other night elf and draenei chugging their drinks in an impromptu contest.

“Something like that.” The death knight responded taking her leave along with her own brew she had still been nursing, to swerve her way through the other patrons and into the small bubble of empty space around the still scowling Nelora. 

“What?” The demonic night elf sneered at the sight of her visitor. 

Instead of answering as she encroached on the demon hunter’s territory, she instead turned to the passing tavern girl and raised her hand. 

“One tankard of ale, please.” She said pointing to her friend, before handing over a few silvers from her side pouch.

“One tankard of ale, coming right up!” The tavern waitress happily chirped taking the coin before disappearing into the crowd once again. 

A moment of tension passed between the two, the gaping silence being filled in by the continuous background noise of the lively inhabitants. 

“I suppose I should thank you.” Nelora’s voice came through far softer than before, though the usual bitter edge remained strong in her words. 

“Don’t mention it.” Elyna responded neutrally, taking an initiative to occupy the open seat next to her. The two shared another moment of unsure quiet as they gazed over the crowd of people of all sorts of races, including their own group members as two of them were becoming rather loud in their cheering. 

“A tankard of ale!” A voice suddenly pierced through the ambience of the tavern, as a tankard was thrust into Nelora’s grasp.

“...Thank you.” She replied, awkwardly taking a sip as the waitress happily walked away. 

As soon as the tavern girl was out of sight, and hearing, Nelora gave a huff as she stared into the golden colored liquid with an unsure expression painted on her face. 

“Don’t know if you like it?” Elyna said, a hint of laughter behind her voice. 

“It’s… different.” Nelora responded, all previous venom having left her voice. “I can’t recall the last time I had alcohol.” She took another small sip, letting the taste sit on her tongue searching her memory for the familiarity of it. 

“If you want something different try a brew next time.” Elyna commented, taking a swig from her own cup.

“Is that why you drink it while your team members insist on their ale? Too many memories tied with the taste?” 

The death knight did not comment, letting her horned companion come to her own conclusions from her silence. Though she was sure it would be difficult to do since their two most intoxicated group members found it the perfect time to attempt an enthusiastic attempt at a tavern sing along. Thankfully it had ended in the pair having been wrangled in by their tauren companion, along with their human friend cutting them off from any further drinking. 

“Hm,” Nelora hummed in thought as she observed the scene. “Your teammates lack proper discipline.”

“They do at times, yes.”

“They’re loud and insufferable.”

“I suppose.”

“Yet you still remain part of their so-called group, despite your superior abilities as a death knight.”

“I could say the same about you.”

And with that Nelora opened her mouth to speak, but quickly closed it after she realized she had little rebuttal herself.

“It was temporary.” She eventually managed to say. “Besides, I have responsibilities to attend to now that prohibits me from taking this journey any farther with any of you.” 

“We’ll miss you.” Elyna said with a smile, picking up on the slight reluctance in her companion’s tone. The demon hunter nearly sputtered into her ale as she was taking a sip. 

“You’ll survive.” She scoffed, swiping a hand across her scarred lips. Elyna humming in response as the two basked in the chaotic atmosphere again. 

The tavern now having started settling down after the night raged on, the patrons shuffling out with shaky legs and on friend’s shoulders. The only remaining inhabitants simmering down from their loud alcohol infused banter and having their companions debate on how to carry their intoxicated friends from the building. 

“You know where to find me if you need me.” Nelora spoke in an almost whisper, far softer than her usual rough commanding voice. “Just write me a letter if you so desire, I’m sure those Dalarn mages who handle the mail will find a way to send it to me.” She finished her sentence with her eyes subtly and perhaps even fondly gazing over to one of the last remaining groups within the building, still happily speaking to one another.

“We may have to take you up on that,” Elyna said with a sympathetic smile. The demon hunter mirroring her expression, before chugging down the last few gulps of her ale.

“Though before you end up squirreling yourself away in your base,” The death knight continued with a small mischievous grin as her companion finished her drink. “There are some things I- 

feel that you need to learn.”

Nelora looked at her in confusion.

~*~

“I hardly see how this is necessary.” Nelora’s crass voice sounded, staring down her death knight companion with a hard glare.

“I understand demon hunters have an abnormal desire to consume bland rations and only rations, but learning to cook is far more practical than living on unseasoned bread your whole life.” 

The scowling night elf started on a rebuttal, but her flame quickly died out knowing any words she’d say would have no impact on her partner’s insistence. The two having been left to their own devices as the others insisted on visiting their supposed shared farm, just past Pandaria’s Halfhill marketplace. Thus instead of focusing on the numerous ingredients that had been meticulously thrust into her arms, as her unhelpful companion pursued spices, she decided to better study her surroundings, as at first she had only taken notice of the large number of pandarians, their cooking instruments, and the abundance of those shades of green that covered the land that hadn’t had any relation to fel magic. 

The atmosphere she had come to notice held a gentle breeze that carried white birds on it’s draft, the almost insufferable cheerful music played by the band thankfully becoming nothing more than background noise, with all of it wrapped up in the horribly alluring smells of the various stalls of the marketplace. 

As a leader of the Illidari she had every right to show authority and storm away from the fields in favor of surely what are more pressing matters to attend to. But in the same thought if she had fully believed it, she surely would not have ever been inducted into the rag tag group she had currently found herself temporarily a part of. So tasked with being something of a night elf grocery basket, she did her best not to completely glower at every friendly pandaren face smiling as they passed her. As soon as this excursion was over however, she was certain to disappear back into the Illidari base far from the peaceful setting she wasn’t sure how to feel about. It would only be for a while longer as the group dragged her around before she could-

“Elyna? Is that you?”

She quickly retracted her previous statement with the sudden intrusion of a new voice. 

“Feila?” Elyna spoke, looking over to a female pandaren, her brown hair pulled back allowing the dark orange marks on her fur to stand out from under her eyes. The clothes she wore were plain, the belt she sported emboldened with an emblem familiar with those that worked with simple weaponry. Monks, she thought to have heard them called. 

“It is you!” The pandaren lit up as she closed in on the two, her face beaming as she reached for the death knight’s hands in a friendly clasp. “I haven’t been able to see all of you since we’ve been caught up in our own work in our halls. How are you all doing?”

“We’re all still around, if that’s what you mean.” Elyna responded, Nelora taking note of her smile being genuine, sans the one she usually wore for diffusing uncomfortable situations. “Janae and the others are over at Sunsong Ranch, they would love to see you again.” She gave a small sigh before continuing. “As soon as they're done playing farmer that is.”

Feila giggled, as Nelora suddenly felt that useless feeling of awkwardness seeing the two chatter as if she hadn’t been present. She had half a mind to act on her previous thought process and storm away, but before she had a chance to do so her companion suddenly turned to pull her into the conversation. 

“By the way, I should introduce you to our new friend.” Elyna said as she gently tugged at the demon hunter’s arm to bring her into the pandaren’s frame of view. “This is Nelora.”

To her credit, Feila took the sudden intrusion of a demon possessed night elf in stride. Her hazel eyes never lingered long on Nelora’s scarred form, her winding tattoos nor the impressive curled horns on her forehead. Neither had her face painted anything other than a warm smile as she tactfully studied the perhaps frightening form of her newest acquaintance. 

“Nice to meet you, I’m Feila!” The pandaren happily introduced herself, waving one hand in favor of a handshake considering the night elf’s grasp was already filled. “You seem like quite the chef with those ingredients you have there.”

“I am not,” Nelora responded, holding back the venom in her voice as she complained. “I was dragged into my position and have no wish to remain.” 

Out of the corner of her vision she could see Elyna stifle a laugh, the smile on her face only further of an aggravation to her situation. 

“Teaching her how to cook then?” Feila said with a head tilt towards the death knight, though her squinted eyes looked as if to say, did Janae really manage to wrangle this one into your group?

Elyna’s tired expression and subtle nod was all the confirmation she needed, as Feila sighed happily with a soft hum. 

“As the newest member of the group,” The monk began, Nelora side eyeing the other night elf at the comment of “newest. “I’d consider it the perfect opportunity to get to know you better if you would allow me to help you in your cooking lesson.”

The demon hunter was quick to remark on the lack of necessity of another annoyance trying to instruct her, but her companion was far too knowledgeable on her behavior, and even more so knew to interject before she could manage the words. 

“Of course,” Elyna remarked side stepping just enough to capture her partner off guard before she could respond. “And in turn,” She said as she moved to stand next to Feila, motioning a hand over towards the small ranch house just over the marketplace. “Perhaps I can ensure my sister and our friends are not causing any issue for Farmer Yoon as you work with her in the ranch’s kitchen.” 

“Of course!” Feila cheerfully responded, once again cutting off Nelora’s attempt to reject the idea. “I can have Nelora here making fire spirit salmon and valley stir fry in no time!” She finished with a firm but affectionate pat on the demon hunter’s back. 

“Thank you, Feila.” The death knight said with a genuine smile. “I’ll try not to be too long in my supervising.”

And with that Elyna walked away with a small wave, weaving her way through the small number of both pandaren and other guests at the marketplace and disappearing beyond the small hill. 

“Let me help you with those,” Feila made to take the baskets from her new friend’s arms, Nelora hesitating for a moment on whether she should allow it but ultimately deciding her arms deserved the small rest. She let most of the ingredients shuffle from her grasp into the pandaren's, a tiny part of her mind noticing the softness of her fur as it brushed against her bare arms. 

“There we go!” Feila sang adjusting her grip on the items, motioning for Nelora to follow her lead. The two walking over the same way that Elyna had previously taken, around the hill and towards the ranch, currently infected with a group of excited and familiar adventurers. Elyna tried to contain the semi chaotic farm, as Farmer Yoon happily waved a greeting to the pair as they passed. Nelora took special notice to Janae’s rather calm demeanor, as she carefully tended to the newest sproutlings within the tilled soil as if she had done so numerous times before. 

“I hope you don’t mind the snug space.” Feila commented as the two trekked the small staircase and entered the compact home. “It’s a little cramped but I assure you that you can learn more than enough about cooking just in here alone.” 

Nelora opted not to respond, instead making to study the tiny surroundings she had. The area just big enough for three of the more smaller races, possibly four if a little uncomfortable, furnished with a single bed, a large black pot meant for cooking, and a wooden table already cluttered with the ingredients Feila haphazardly deposited onto the surface. The sounds of the others fluttering in behind them from the large open doorway proving a slight distractance from their current task. 

“Ready to get started?” Feila said, breaking Nelora out of her temporary trance. “I thought we could begin with something simple. Perhaps a small pot of swirling mist soup, or sauteed carrots?”

“Whatever’s the fastest to make.” The demon hunter groaned in complaint, crossing her arms stiffly.

“Sauteed carrots it is then!” Feila responded cheerfully. “Could you grab the skillet and bring it to the stove please?” 

Nelora did as she was asked without delay, hoping that preparing one dish would simply be enough to sate her friend’s annoying insistence on teaching her unneeded skills. Grabbing the cast iron instrument she lifted it from it’s hook on the wall, carrying it over to the now warming stove and placing it on top.

“Thank you, Nelora.” Feila spoke as she grabbed the butter on the countertop to her right, working with quick hands as she smeared the surface. “First step in the recipe is to apply a nonstick coat to the pan.”

The next ten minutes went faster than the demon hunter had originally imagined, the steps easy enough though unsurprising considering the process called for very few ingredients. The pandaren never lost her happy disposition as she did her best to involve the demon hunter, making sure she was following along and giving her simple tasks.

“Now all that’s left is to add the sage, and we’ll be done.” Feila said as she carefully pinched a small amount of the herb to sprinkle over the dish. “And there, that’s how you cook sauteed carrots. Why don’t you try a taste?”

Reaching for a utensil on the side table, she gathered a bite sized piece of carrot and offered it to Nelora. Whom in turn was unsure of how exactly to proceed, simply ate the food from her partner’s grasp in perhaps a slightly intimate moment. The demon hunter had to admit though, despite the taste being something far different from her usual Illidari rations it was far more appetizing.

“Good, right?” Feila asked.

“Different,” Nelora responded. “But, alright.”

The pandaren gave her beaming smile in response to the praise, and oddly enough the demon hunter found herself feeling a small warmth in her stomach.

~*~

“This is beneath me.”

Nelora’s familiar scathing tone was once again a contrast to the peaceful atmosphere of the sun warmed evening. Her hands once again full with what she considered another annoyance on these so called “life-lessons” the rag-tag team was insistent on showing her. 

“Laundry is beneath no one.” Crinaru’s voice called from some paces away, busy with accompanying the wet garments with pins to the taut clothesline. “Clean clothes are important for both the body and the mind. And we haven't had the time to spend together like this for some time.”

The draenei flashed a smile over to the two night elves with their arms half submerged in the soapy water of the large basin, scrubbing down the mass of laundry. The druidess positioned next to the demon hunter in a far better mood as she hummed away. The three decked out in casual and loose fitting outfits, Nelora having had borrowed a mix of both Elyna’s and Janae’s garments leaving her in an even worse mood than usual. 

The day felt as if it had barely begun as the afternoon slowly crept up on the group, the sun shining brightly down illuminating the soft forestlands of what she was told was Ashenvale, both what she remembered it to be and some new attributes. The lot of them had led her to a strange house nestled inside of a rather large tree, far from any settlements and nestled tightly within an area of foliage and other tree trunks.

“You must have done laundry before.” Janae commented, wringing out a shirt in her hands. 

“Yes,” Nelora responded, her voice uncharacteristically softening. “Before I became what I am, I have fleeting memories of my previous life. I am assured that laundry must have been a part of it, though my old memories no longer matter since my transformation.” She finished with her hands almost instinctively working away even without her concentration.

“You sound just like Elyna used to.” 

The demon hunter shifted her eyes to her companion next to her to be met with a sympathetic smile. 

“Only thing she remembered was her own name when I found her.” Janae continued without being prompted to. “Couldn’t even recognize me at first, having turned seemed to have locked all her memories away. I always wondered if her mind did it on purpose to protect them from being corrupted.” 

“By the Lich King’s will?” Nelora asked, elaborating further on her knowledge on the subject when her partner looked at her with slight confusion. “I’ve read up on Azeroth’s more recent history since I was imprisoned.”

“I’d imagine it was her way of ensuring that he couldn’t change everything about her.” Janae answered the original question. “But regardless of whatever reason,” The smile on her face never faltered as she spoke. “I’ll always be grateful that despite the overwhelming odds of her safe return, she still managed to find her way home in the end.”

“I’m rather glad we are able to put all those events behind us.” Crinaru added, slightly muffled as she took a clothespin from her mouth. “As fun as those undead infested days were, I’d almost argue that the demon infested days are far more favorable.”

“They certainly smell better.” Janae quipped in response, the two sharing a round of gentle laughter. Nelora choosing to opt out, her hands suddenly sensing something wrong with the pants she was washing as she realized a hole was present. Further inspecting it, it wasn’t Crinaru’s clothes as it hadn't been previously adjusted for her tail. Leading to the conclusion of an annoying tearing of the cloth.

“Are you okay, Nelora?” Janae looked over at the demon hunter. “Oh, I guess they got a hole in them.” She said, now leaning over just a little too much into her partner’s space. “One of us should take them to Macy and Kiona before they’re done mending our other clothes.” 

“I’ll do it.” Nelora said, jumping at the opportunity to escape from the annoyance that was laundry duty, thankful that neither of the other two gave any protest.

“Why you’re there, tell them we’re almost done here,” Crinaru called out as the night elf had already made to leave. “Just have a few things left to hang.”

Nelora internalized the reminder and decidedly took her time to take in the sights so as to not have to return to the monotonous work of laundry. The elven forests stirred an old nostalgia within her, but she quickly repressed the feeling as she ended up walking faster to prevent any further thoughts. Rounding the corner of the large base of the tree, she passed the open entranceway with a soft humming resonating inside along with the desirable smell of Elyna’s cooking. She walked further on to the odd pair of both human and tauren sitting peacefully on two wooden chairs stolen from inside, their hands tending to the sewing of both cloth and leather. 

“Oh, Nelora.” Macy was first to notice the demon hunter’s arrival, pausing from her conversation to speak. “More clothes to mend?” She asked exasperatedly. “At this point I wonder if we should just pay the price for new ones if these get torn up anymore.” She spoke as she took the damaged garment.

Nelora didn’t bother to respond as she wordlessly listened, Kiona opting to add to the conversation instead as she signed.

“We’ll pick up some fabric and make some needed clothes next time we stop at a major city.” She said, her smile soft. “Perhaps we could even pick something up for a new dress or two.”

The grin now sporting on the warlock’s face was a rarity Nelora rarely ever saw, though she realized she perhaps wasn’t one to criticize when her face was a constant annoyed glare. 

“Crinaru wanted me to tell you,” Nelora spoke as she suddenly remembered her other friend’s previous request. “Laundry is nearly done.”

“Well at least something is nearly finished,” Macy sighed, tying a small knot on her thread. “I fear there’s enough sewing to keep us busy for some time.”

“Hmm,” The demon hunter hummed quietly in thought, hesitating for a moment before speaking. “I can help with the sewing.”

“You can sew?” Macy asked curiously, to her side Kiona mirrored her expression. 

“Well enough,” Nelora replied. “Basic stitches and little else.”

“That’s still plenty,” The human responded, setting her needle and thread aside as she stood. “I’ll grab another chair from inside if you want to follow Kiona’s instructions and start working.” 

She finished speaking and walked out of sight into the house, leaving Nelora to follow her request picking up the clothes she had been mending and continuing her work. 

Both the night elf and tauren enjoyed the peaceful silence between them as they continued sewing. The only sounds other than the soft shifting of cloth being the rare songbird or the slight breeze shuffling through the grassy landscape. 

The demon hunter thought to herself that the moment was sure to be accompanied by thoughts of self reflection in the quiet company, but found her mind only wavering to more important matters of her responsibilities as one of the leaders of the Illidari. The sewing needle in her hand working away diligently as her mind focused elsewhere. On demons and teammates and the extinguished Burning Legion. Of Illidan and Azeroth and Outland as well. Of corpses and bones and dead eyes and-

A hand gently grasped her shoulder as Nelora was suddenly torn from her storming thoughts, her eyes finally taking notice that she had already finished her sewing and double stitched farther than necessary into the garment. Looking up her gaze met Kiona’s own concerned look, though quickly tore her face away as she went about finishing her thread’s knot, deciding to simply leave the stitching as is, considering it wasn’t even her clothes after all. 

She only looked back up when she noticed her companion’s hand trying to catch her attention, begrudgingly looking over to see what she had to communicate. 

“Lost in thought?” The tauren signed with her hands, her expression having been returned to the warm smile she usually sported. 

“Something like that.” Nelora sighed, though kept her voice curt. “It doesn’t matter, I can continue working.” She said picking up another article of clothing from the shared basket as she searched for signs of wear and tear. 

She noticed out of the corner of her vision that Kiona paused for a moment, likely thinking of whether to drop the conversation or not. Ultimately deciding to continue it, much to Nelora’s dismay. 

“It’s always the quiet moments, isn't it?” She signed, the smile on her face a contrast now to the hazing over of her eyes as she looked to be keeping back strong feelings. “I can understand why Crinaru always seems to hate the silence. And as much as I am a fan of a peaceful afternoon, I almost prefer combat to distract me from my thoughts.”

“Almost.” Kiona said at the notice of the slight raise of the night elf’s eyebrow at the comment. “But I also came to realize that these moments are just as necessary as those when we are fighting.”

Nelora’s confusion painted on her face only grew frustrated with her companion’s words, as she was fully prepared to lecture her on the necessity of all the bloodshed she had caused and all she had given up to ensure Azeroth’s safety, but was quickly stopped by the tauren continuing her signing. 

“When I was younger, the eldest of warriors in my village had come home after years of fighting to talk to us about the world beyond Mulgore. They wore battle scars all over their bodies, and they carried their weight both physically and emotionally as they walked showing how exhausted and broken they were. But it was the look in their eyes that said more than they ever could of what they’ve seen,” Kiona’s pausing for a moment as her face suddenly shifted to a beaming smile as her eyes lit up. 

“But the way they looked when they saw all of us, when they saw our village, their village, I could only imagine they saw that even through the strife and war, they found their way home again. And maybe even perhaps that despite all they had done, they remembered in their quiet moments that this was what they had fought for.”

“For villages?” Nelora deadpanned. 

“For the quiet,” Kiona responded. “For moments like this one now.”

Perhaps for the first time that day, or for the first time in who knew how long, Nelora really took in her surroundings as her friend let the two of them sit in silence. The way the gentle wind caressed her skin along with all of her scars and markings, the way her ears noticed even the more subtle noise of bird’s flapping, the distant laughter of the other two finishing with the laundry, and of course the way her nose took in the all too delicious smell of dinner surely to be done soon. Her eyes looked over to Kiona, who happily smiled in response. 

“Sorry I took so long,” Macy’s voice cut into the moment as she finally arrived with another chair within her grasp. “Elyna needed my help and it took longer than expected.”

“What did she need?” Kiona signed, a small ounce of concern hidden under her pleasant expression. 

“Nothing that involved cooking I assure you,” The warlock responded, surely having picked up on any anxiety her friend emitted. “Just needed a hand getting some things together.” She said as she put down her chair and steadied it, taking a seat as she gathered up a needle and thread to continue working. 

“Though I must say,” She continued as she resumed her previous sewing. “You two seemed to manage to get some good work done.”

“Nelora is far more talented than I think she lets on.” Kiona signed. 

Nelora pretended not to have noticed her signing to their friend, yet let the small compliment wash over herself while at the same time chastising herself for letting it get to her. 

“Regardless, we should work to finish this before Janae and Crinaru finish their chores and insist on starting dinner without us.” Macy said, throwing herself back into her sewing. 

The other two followed suit, motivated mostly by their stomachs as their hands quickly worked. Two of the three added in advice on Nelora’s technique in the conversation every so often. Until finally the cursed day of laundry duty was done with.

Dinner followed suitly after, and though she’d never completely admit to it, Elyna’s cooking was a decent reward for having slogged through the day. Even more so was her own bedroom to herself afterwards, as Nelora was simply happy to have a moment of solitude after the whole day of having to converse with the others. 

The soft moonlight shining through the sole window of the small room, the space being decorated with odd trinkets and decorations, she was sure the others had accumulated over their travels. The bed she ended up curling up onto holding the all too familiar scent of the soap she had been cleaning with all day. Though in memory of all the odd places she had to find sleep she supposed being contained within the plush blankets of her companions and within their home was not the worst of options. Her hair was a sprawled out mess on the pillows, her sleepwear was not even her own, and tomorrow the others had finally promised her that they would finally be releasing her back to her own devices, leaving her mind to remain in a buzz of things that surely needed to be attended to the next day. 

Yet try as she might have felt a sense of relief at being able to return back to the ship for further work as she was used to, there was the ever present and ever annoying feeling pinching in her chest preventing her from sleeping. She tossed and turned for a while, ultimately weaving her hair into a sloppy braid, fidgeting with her clothes, and then continuing the previous cycle. 

Unfortunately for her as the restless night progressed, she suddenly realized something that made her wish the sweet embrace of sleep would take her out at that moment before she could fully comprehend what she felt. She clutched the fabric against her skin withdrawing into herself even further, her voice a scratchy whisper as she spoke into the silence.

“I’m actually going to miss those idiots.”

~*~

“Are you actually going to cook for yourself?” Elyna’s asked.

“When there aren’t any more rations.” 

“Disinfect those wounds you get every once in a while, okay?” Crinaru sighed.

“I know.”

“Keep sewing if you want to get any better.” Macy spoke, crossing her arms.

“I suppose.” 

“Don’t forget to get enough sleep.” Kiona signed.

“I can’t promise anything.”

“Write to us every once in a while, we’ll wait for letters.” Janae’s smile was bittersweet, but she still beamed nonetheless.

Nelora paused before speaking, the sun beating down on the six as they stood on the mosaic tiled landing pad of Dalaran city. The stray island with her portal back onto the Illidari ship was just behind her, the gateway just a jump and glide away. Though for her own incorrigible reasons, she couldn’t fully muster herself to go without first saying her proper goodbyes. 

“I’ll see if I can find the time.” She said, not fully willing to chain herself to the idea again. “Regardless, I should be going.”

A few stifled disappointed moans came from two of the group members. Nelora ignored them and turned to leave, stopping halfway and turning back partly to speak. 

“If you ever need me, just write.” Her voice was softer than the team had ever heard it, far more sincere as well. “Thanks for everything.”

And with that she had herself a running start, leaping straight off the landing platform wings spread. The other five watched her go as she landed at her destination and quickly disappeared into the awaiting gateway. 

“Welcome back.” A female voice called out as soon as the demon hunter stepped through the portal. “You were gone for quite some time, plenty of work we’ll need to catch you up on.” Asha Ravensong came into view, the all too familiar green glow of the Fel Hammer’s hull surrounding her as well as the numerous other Illidari within the ship.

She was back.

~*~

Nelora wasn’t exactly in a bind, nor was she confused or bewildered. But as she stared down the scrap of paper positioned with a wooden clipboard on her knees and pencil in hand, she found her mind tongue tied on what to write. It hadn’t really been that long since her departure from the group anyhow, as only three months had gone by of restoration work and cleaning up any lingering demons. But in a rare slow drawl of a day, huddled in an odd corner near the barracks, even as she felt weary and exhausted she prodded her mind to write something, anything.

“Hmmmph,” She moaned quietly, motioning to write before stopping again. “Hnnngghh,” She groaned, pressing at her temples in frustration. She remained like that for some time, hands to her head before finally slumping her shoulders and relaxing her arms. She took a deep breath, and began to write. 

“Previous teammates,” 

She paused before erasing her words and trying again.

“”Allies,”

Another use of the eraser and a small sigh later, Nelora finally made to write something satisfactory.

“Friends,”

She took another moment staring at the single word on the paper before the sound of scribbling continued. The demon hunter writing boring pleasantries, quickly going through them along with her own reports done in her usual spartan style. But as she finished up with the first half of the page, the second part gave her another annoying pause as she struggled once again to find the right words to express what she wanted to write in the first place. 

Her mind wandered back to old memories, the most prominent being the quiet ones of all of them. The taste of ale, the feel of cold water, the smell of sauteed carrots, and the precious remembrance of that feeling of being swaddled up in those warm and heavy covers safe in their house. She wanted to tell them it was something to be engulfed in their presence, in the ambience they created and the sense of comfort they seemed to emanate when they shared those untroubled moments together. She wanted to stay cocooned in that aura even for a little while longer, just to be in their presence for that sense of normalcy again away from the threat of war. 

She sighed deeply, thankful she was alone for the time being as there was no one around to see the tears that prinpricked at the corners of her eyes as she swiftly rubbed them away. She silently reprimanded herself for letting her thoughts run wild, along with a subtle reminder of the sacrifice she made long ago including such a life. Without thinking her hands ran along the curved tattoos painted on her arms, quietly reminding herself to apply another coat later. 

It was another tense five minutes of silence before the demon hunter finally managed to scratch out some other meaningless words onto the paper asking them to come visit Dalaran sometime before all that was left was to sign off. She hesitated for another moment, before impulsively finishing off her writing.

“Your friend, Nelora.”


	4. What's worse, banshees or awkward situations?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Takes place during Classic WoW.

Darkshire was far from the ideal vacation spot, and Janae wasn’t even sure that there was anyone who lived in the dark woods that truly wanted to call this foreboding domain their home. Sans the odd few that already did, or perhaps had little other choice. The gnarled trees covered what little sunlight tried to shine down, the buildings were dull and beshelved from old age, along with the townspeople who were far and few hiding away in their homes. Between the undead and the atmosphere of the town, she felt a slight pang of guilt herself for wanting to finish business here as quickly as possible, as to leave the residents behind in their troubled times for brighter places. Though between the two of them, Macy fit in this place far better than the young druidess could ever have hoped to. 

“Banshees?” The warlock asked puzzled, Janae turning her attention back to the conversation between her partner and one of the town guards. From his grim expression it did not take any convincing that Darkshire was being besieged by the spectral creatures, though it was also typical for the town. 

“Yes, mam.” He responded. “Heard west of here, just over the old abandoned house on the hill past the graveyard. Mayor’s offering three gold coins to anyone that can banish them for good.”

“We can do that no problem!” Janae cheerfully said, stepping forward. 

Macy’s expression did not budge in the slightest, her face remained a neutral stance as she made no move to object to Janae’s enthusiasm. The guard, eager to have the quest completed, marked the designated area on their map of Darkshire, before handing it off. With few departing words they left the guard to his work, making to leave the town.

“Five gold is kind of hefty for just a banshee or two, isn't it?” Janae asked as the two reached the outskirts of Darkshire. “This place is known for its constant need of outside help, so every task is always cheaper than elsewhere for it.” 

“Must be in an adventurer drought,” Macy responded, glancing over the map as she walked. “Darkshire is no place for beginners, and enough ghoulish stories will turn anyone away from this place.” She paused as she looked up, smirking slightly as she caught sight of a familiar face. “Well, most people anyhow.”

Beyond the edges of Darkshire, past the ever growing cemetery at the edge of the main path, a tauren waved to her friends with a calm smile as she watched them approach. 

“Kiona! We got a great quest clearing out banshees!” Janae gushed as she ran over to her companion. “They’re even paying us a whole five gold for it! We can collect and make our way south to Stranglethorn, and bunk at Booty Bay for the night.”

“Yes,” Macy agreed, strolling over. “But we still have to do the quest in the first place, and banshees are nothing to laugh at.” Handing the map over to Kiona, she pointed out the circled area pointing towards the ruined farmlands east of their position. “We’re close already, which says why the town was so eager to rid themselves of this threat.” She turned to face the hillside looking out into the dark woods. “Nonetheless, let’s get this over with.”

Kiona was quick to sign in response, “And here I thought this town was a perfect fit for you.”

Macy snickered in response, a crooked smile adorning her face. “Funny, despite the gloomy decor I’d rather prefer a setting that doesn’t entail countless undead plaguing the populace.” 

“Yeah,” Janae giggled. “I’d think you’d prefer a challenge.”

As Janae and Kiona shared their fair share of stifled laughter, Macy gave her own content smile. The three shared their moment before gathering their surroundings and checking the compass to point them in the right direction. A flurry of pointed fingers and careful marching through underbrush and long dead trees directed them far through Duskwood towards the ruined fields. 

It did not take long for them to find the described spoiled land, as the rising smell of rotten pumpkin mixed with a hint of putrid animal remains warned them far ahead of time. They were thankful that the offending odor seemed to enclose itself only around the outside of the fields however, as it was a far easier time searching around the area for any signs of ladies in white without them having to constantly pinch their noses. 

“Anything?” Macy asked the other two, being sure not to shout to avoid attracting unwanted attention as she surveyed the oddly still plowed dirt.

“Nothing!” Janae responded returning back from her walk through the rotting crops, Kiona next to her signing the same result. “Maybe they just left for greener pastures?” 

“Unlikely,” Macy said, her voidwalker passing behind her in a blue blur, as he silently scouted the area around them with similar results. She took a moment to think, raising her hand to her chin as Janae and Kiona waited.

The huntress was the first to sign however, as she grabbed Janae’s attention with a soft shoulder poke. 

“Perhaps they might be in one of the old sheds, or housing up on the hill?” Kiona motioned. “Some banshees do cling to old places and buildings, so maybe they’re attached there.”

Janae’s face lit up in response. “Of course!” She dangerously shouted, her voice causing some crows to stir in the trees. She covered her mouth embarrassed by her actions, once Kiona signed for her to speak quietly with a small amused smile. 

“What’s of course?” Macy asked, her concentration gone as she swiveled around to look at her companions.

“The buildings past the fields.” Janae happily replied, pointing uphill. “Kiona was saying that they’re probably attached to something around there.”

“Right,” Macy said with little emotion, “Of course.”

Motioning for the group to follow her lead, the warlock took the initiative of climbing the hillside in search of any lingering undead. When they found themselves atop the slope at last, a small gathering of long ruined buildings remained stoic amongst the dreary landscape. Only one building remained mostly intact, as even with the rotting structure the sturdy remains of a barn still stood tall amongst it’s companions. The crumbling remnants of a windmill a few paces away suggested the structure once was a mill for grain, now having been long lost to the curse that destroyed the land. 

“I’d say that barn is our only lead.” The druidess spoke, already slowly moving towards the disheveled skeleton of decaying wood. “Unless our banshees decided to up and move elsewhere.”

“Unlikely,” Macy retorted. “If they were haunting here they would likely have some attachment to this place, unless they were purposely sent here.”

“Who’d want a banshee or two haunting some rotting pumpkin patch?” Janae questioned as she stopped to think, her face contorting in confusion. 

Next to her Kiona snorted softly, before signing to her friends.

“Maybe someone who has a vendetta against pumpkins.” 

The druidess giggled in response, before retorting her own idea.

“Maybe, but I’d imagine a hungry kodo would do far more damage!”

Another snort came from Kiona, as Janae followed suit with her own round of laughter, her hands clasped onto her mouth, trying to muffle the noise. The two ultimately stopped when they saw their third companion raise her hand to signal for silence. Macy had her back turned to her friend’s as her eyes drifted slowly over the range, the lack of any ambience provided a heavy atmosphere. They all remained stiff as they waited for another sign, which came with Macy’s shoulders slumping and her disappointed voice speaking.

“I could have sworn I heard something- '' Her voice was cut off as she bit her tongue at the muffled sound of someone’s scream. The three all went rigid at the noise, carefully sorting their gaze over the farmland to find the source of the commotion as they moved closer to one another, letting their backs touch. Their trained demon of the group had honed in on the noise faster than the others, and with a narrowing of his eyes he slowly phased over to the closed door of the barn. The rest of the team fell in behind him, careful to tiptoe over the vines and overgrown plants. 

As the four reached the building, weapons unsheathed and held tightly within their grasp, Macy whispered for her pet to open the doorway, as he followed the command obediently without question. The large wooden doors began to open slowly with an inaudible creak, but quickly halted halfway as another high pitched screech came emanating from inside. The intruders paused their advance on the barn, freezing for a moment as the noise echoed and passed before looking at each other, uncertain on how to proceed.

“The banshee’s in the barn?” Janae sheathed her daggers to sign to her teammates in confusion. 

“It sounds like it.” Macy awkwardly held her staff in the crook of her arm, as she signed back in response. “Do we go for a surprise attack, or the stealthy approach?” 

“Surprise,” Kiona suggested, crossbow carefully cradled. “The stealthy approach is far too difficult with no other entrance, and we need to strike before she is able to unleash her wailing. If we are all stunned at once, we may be done for.”

The others nodded in agreement, the warlock signing for her pet to thrust open the door. The team grasping on to their weapons once more, waiting for the moment the entrance opened as the voidwalker returned his grasp onto the wood, putting force into his arm to swing open the large panel with a shuddering crash. 

As soon as the booming noise sounded with a loud resounding echo, the three took no pause on their assault, as they launched themselves into the space magic and weapons at the ready. Their feet skidded on the wooden flooring as they stopped within the middle of the barn, eyes darting panicked for any traces of white, their ears picking up a sudden scream as they instinctively rushed their hands over their ears. 

Though the high pitched yell was matched with another lower toned voice, and the three sooned realized their long sought target’s wailing was not at all disorienting or harmful as they’d expected. Their hands falling from their heads slowly as they realized the abandoned barn was lit up by numerous candles, albeit a bit haphazardly with some placements. The different light sources casting various shadows, giving the trio plenty of time to ponder their current situation before they finally realized the largest glow of warm candlelight gathered around a couple feet away from them, in the further reaches of the barn.

All three tensed up, raising their weapons once more as they took notice of the two figures huddled together in the center of a ring of burning candles, a noticeable red stain slashed onto the floor just before them. 

“If this is a demon summoning,” Macy commented to the two as she studied them over. “This is a horrid attempt.”

Stranger yet as the kicked up dust finally began to settle, was that the two were barely clothed. Both were human, a younger, and scrawny looking man wearing nothing more than scruffed and patched up pants, and a similar woman draped in a loose fitting shirt. The ground beneath them was covered with a thick bedsheet, along with two empty glasses knocked over to the side. A stray bottle rolling around the floor reverberated through the large space, the smell of fermented grapes lay under the aroma of hay. 

“We - uh, we-we-” The younger man tried to speak, but his words were consistently caught in his throat as he stared wide eyed at the three, plus one demon. The woman next to him was little help, as she could only mirror his own behavior as she shivered in place.

“Um, girls?” Janae managed to whisper just loud enough over the stammering. “Maybe we should consider running now?”

Macy’s face turned an unbelieving grimace. “From these two?” She spat out with little regard for who heard her. “I still can’t tell if they were stuck trying to set a mood in the worst place in Azeroth, or trying to get eaten by the numerous inhabitants of these woods.” She said waving her hand at the offenders, before pinching the bridge of her nose in annoyance. 

“It’s just that, um.” The night elf continued to whisper, fidgeting with her hand awkwardly while slightly shifting her head to her side, while darting her eyes to their tauren friend behind them. 

The tauren in question looked rather worried with pleading glances at the others, as having been spotted was bound to be trouble if rumors got out of a Horde spy wandering around the area. Even more so was the risk of the two Alliance members being outed as double agents, even just by word of mouth alone. Janae could arguably claim a neutral stance as an aspiring initiate of the Cenarion Circle, but Macy would have a far more difficult time being a Stormwind trained warlock. Too much prejudice surrounded her profession already, and it wouldn’t take a heavy weight to tip the scales of the public opinion and demonize her as a power hungry maniac, pulling strings on both sides. 

“Ugh,” Macy let out a small groan, as she motioned for her pet to come closer. “Alright, plan false betrayal, make it look convincing.” She hissed in a rushed whisper, the others nodding once before breaking off into two groups.

“Horde scum!” Janae shouted out, her voice far from natural as she forced an angry expression pointing at an opposing Kiona. The tauren now opposite of her teammates, her back to the doorway as the other two stood side by side with their focus turned away from the unwanted audience. “To have tracked you here to this abandoned farm, to have fought and ended up here of all places! We may have been stunned before at the sudden intrusion, but no longer!” 

Macy stifled another groan, though as much as she wanted to complain about her friend’s sore acting job, she had little room to criticize considering her own skill. 

“You have withstood our attacks so far,” She spoke, continuing even as her voice wavered on from a serious tone, to a one that suggested she’d rather be doing anything else at that moment. “But surely even you, a talented huntress, couldn’t have known of what evil lurks within this area.”

The warlock heard the frightened squeal of one of the couple behind her, thankful they could not see her face as she sported a wry smile. 

Kiona reacted, albeit a little too dramatically for Macy’s taste, as one would expect from a typical actor of an evil villain starring in a children’s play. She made a show of brandishing her crossbow, snorting loudly to signify her bravery, as well as stomping a foot in retaliation. Her usual calm and comforting posture was gone, as she made sure to tower above the group. 

A sudden sound of wood being scratched caused Kiona to have to hide her snort as an aggressive gesture, as she caught sight of the two young humans scrambling back to cower against a wall. She felt a pang of guilt for the intense fear she was instilling within them, as it didn’t reflect well on her people, but didn’t let it sit long considering they had brought it on themselves considering they decided to venture into dangerous territory unprepared. Besides, the stage was set and the only thing she could concentrate on now was the grand finale. 

“The only thing left,” Macy raised her voice, casting her hand out as the signal a certain voidwalker had been waiting for. “Is to cast you out!”

With the silent command, her pet consumed as much of the shadows around him as he could manage, a difficult task considering the numerous candles took up much of the darkness. But it did not take a great deal for him to grow, certainly not enough to fill the barn with his cold touch, but just enough to cover the sight of two panicked humans who were completely frozen with fear. 

“Run!” Macy ushered her team in a loud whisper, gently pushing the other two to move without looking back. 

As soon as their friend’s voice rang out, the three took off. Their footsteps were heavy on the wooden floor as they bounded from the barn, their feet hitting the dirt running as they didn’t dare stop until they were far out of sight. Fallen trees were bounded over, jutting roots narrowly dodged, heaving breaths taken as they ran. 

The barn was no longer in sight, nor was the rest of the farm for that matter, when finally Janae who had been leading the other two nearly collapsed as she stopped nearby the cemetery just beyond the borders of Darkshire. She struggled to catch her breath, her figure slumped on a nearby tree as she heavily leaned onto it. Her companions mirrored her, Macy still somehow managing to stand upright but ultimately slouched over the stone wall of the gravesite, her face red from the exercise. Kiona remained in far better shape than them, a hand on her hip as her knees refused to buckle even as she tried to vain to regulate her breathing. 

The three remained speechless as they quickly regained their breath, only to have it be caught in their throats at the sudden sound from the forest. Darting their gaze over to the dark foliage, they soon untensed their shoulders as a familiar blue figure quietly emerged from the trees and silently took his place beside his master. 

“Pff-” Janae tried to hold it in, but she was unable as a snicker escaped her. “D-do you think they believed all that?” She said between gasps as she began to uncontrollably laugh.

“They were plenty terrified,” Macy said, hiding her growing smile, suppressing a giggle. “Even after our lackluster performance.”

“I’m sure they won’t say anything,” Kiona signed, though her hands shook as she struggled to pause her snorting. “After all they were the source of the banshee rumors.”

“That,” The druidess paused once before her laughter began again. “That was them?”

“Or one of them,” The warlock commented now incapable of stifling her own cackling laugh as it rang through the woods. “I’m almost surprised other banshee’s had not shown after hearing the call.”

The three remained unable to speak after another round of muffled laughter as they tried in vain to quiet their amusement. Long minutes rolled by as they considered themselves lucky someone, or something, hadn’t stumbled upon them out of curiosity from the racket they created. When they had finally finished, their lungs sore from their constant heavy breaths, they slid slightly further into the woods to talk, as not to be discovered. 

“Think we’ll still be paid?” Janae asked, as the three stopped a couple of feet into the darkened foliage. Her voice low as she took a quick glance behind them. “There weren’t any actual banshees after all.”

Macy gave an exasperated sigh in response. “I suppose we can ask, though most people aren’t fond of the idea of giving up their coin unless actual work was done.” She took a pause, her eyes shifting around as she thought. “Perhaps we can convince them to hand over some of our payment, in exchange for scouting the area out.”

“You can’t argue that you defended off a Horde spy?” Kiona signed curiously. 

“We could,” Macy started. “But the last thing we want to do is spark further agitation between the factions in here of all places.” She took another look around, the air deathly silent as it chased away the warm atmosphere the three shared just moments ago with it’s quiet chill. “I’d think they both have enough on their hands here without being at each other's throats.” 

The tauren nodded after a moment, Janae mirroring her movements along with a confirming hum. 

“If we are all in agreement then,” The warlock spoke moving to return to the beaten stone path to town, but not before temporarily dismissing her pet as not to draw any unneeded attention to them. “Let’s quickly return to town, gather what reward we can, and depart from here. I fear the longer we stay the further they are to investigate into our little incident.”

“Right,” Janae said cheerfully as she followed behind. “Do you think those two will try and spin a different story about us?”

“They might,” Kiona said as she walked beside the druid. “Surely to try and save themselves they might argue a misinterpretation of what we have told them. But I cannot see them sending either of you down river when you acted as their saviors.”

“Yeah, from the horrible tauren known as Kiona!” Janae giggled, wiggling her fingers menacingly for emphasis.

In response the huntress softly elbowed her friend with an amused snort and a wry smile. 

As the three finally returned to the main road, both human and night elf bid a temporary goodbye to their friend as they asked her to remain both hidden and safe while they were gone. 

The pair strolled into Darkshire as casually as they could, the lack of interest by the other inhabitants a favorable sign that they had not been seen with their cross-faction friend. The guardsmen that handed them their task had not moved far from his original position, as he remained stationed outside of town hall talking to another guard for a moment before noticing the two adventurer's return. 

He quickly gave a dismissal to the other soldier before turning to address the two approaching him. 

“Is the job done?” He asked with no flair nor emotion. 

“Difficult to say,” Macy started, fixing her own stern gaze back at his curious but still serious expression. “After all we can not kill a banshee that was never there in the first place.”

“It wasn’t?”

“Well,” Janae said, unable to fully make eye contact with the guard. “Something was there but it was definitely alive.”

The man said nothing as he waited with an expression that simply stated, “Explain.”

The night elf continued, albeit hesitantly. “During our search we heard screaming coming from the barn of the farm in question, and, um-”

“Two of your younger town members were hooking up in the barn.” Macy said plainly, her face not shifting in the slightest from it’s rather annoyed state. 

There was a pause as the guardsman took in the information, ultimately responding with a long sigh as he gently pinched the bridge of his nose with his gloved hand. 

“I see.” He said bluntly, reaching his hand into the leather pouch attached to his belt to pull out a small drawstring purse. Opening it up, he pulled out a single gold coin before tossing it to the two, Janae deftly catching it within her palm. 

“Less than half the pay,” Macy commented, unsurprised. “Considering we didn’t do much?”

“Fraid so,” Came the response as the soldier returned his coin bag back to his pouch. “Been having numerous cases lately with false alarms, can’t afford to be paying everyone full wages when no work gets done.”

Though she surely wanted to argue on the pay cut as her face twisted, the warlock left it alone with a soft sigh. 

“Alright,” She relented, Janae pocketing the coin beside her with no argument of her own. “We best be off anyhow, Stranglethorn is a means away from here.”

With little more than a gruff farewell, both adventurers set off for the trail once more. The dark woods that hugged the sides of the pathway flanking them on both sides as they wandered away from the shambling town. The quiet atmosphere was considerably eerie considering the setting, though was welcome enough for a private conversation between the two as they walked.

“Do you think those two made it back to town okay?” Janae mused as she walked. “Perhaps we should have given them an escort.”

“If they managed to make it there on their own, they can manage their way back on their own.” Macy responded bluntly. “It should be an interesting lesson on why they shouldn’t sneak out on their own in a dangerous place such as this.”

“Undead creatures aren’t really ones for setting the right mood.” The druid giggled to herself. 

“No I suppose not,” The warlock replied, thinking for a moment before a sinister smirk grew on her face. “I’d like to think a warm and lush jungle setting is far more exciting.”

“I-It is?” Janae stuttered, her cheeks dusted with a light shade of pink. 

“Well of course,” Macy continued side-eying her companion with a sultry gaze, taking notice of her victim gulping hard. “The thrill of traversing through dangerous territory, sweating at the warm climate with your instincts on high.” She took a small side-step closer to her friend, their shoulders now barely apart. “And after our pay cut, perhaps we’ll have to share a bed together in the inn to save on costs.”

The night elf stumbled slightly before righting herself, pushing forward a step faster than her partner before swinging around and pointing forward. The cemetery just a couple more paces in front of them, a curious looking tauren waving at the two pleasantly. 

“Look, there's Kiona!” She blurted out, her face a few shades redder than usual on her pale blue skin, her tattoos popping out in contrast. “Why don’t you let her know what happened, and I scout ahead while you do?”

Before Macy could object, nor could Kiona make her way over and ask what was going on, the druid shifted into a semi-graceful feline. Her stunning white fur a contrast to the dark backdrop as she took no hesitation racing off as fast as her muscles would allow. The silent atmosphere echoing the click clack of her claws hitting the partially stone paved road, as well as the heavy clacking of a tauren’s hooves making her own way over to the remaining warlock.

Kiona said nothing as she initially approached, looking at her friend with an expression that stated, “What did you do to her this time?”

“You are insisting on something with that look?” Macy inquired, shooting back a defensive stare. 

“You’re teasing her too much again, aren’t you?” The huntress signed back with an exhausted sigh. “Can’t you give her a little bit of a break?”

“Perhaps,” Macy said nonchalantly, motioning for them to start moving. “If she ever actually confesses to me I probably could spare her a break. Though I might have been a little mean with her lately.” She turned away to hide her own brightening face, but soon enough her sinister smile returned as she gave a small chuckle. “But until then, this is just a little too much fun.”

Kiona gave another heavy sigh in response, focusing on the way in front of them in hopes that Janae would return soon. Macy would soon tell her about their downgrade in pay, they would all eventually arrive at Stranglethorn and begrudgingly make their way through the mess of jungle that it was. But for now, as she walked alongside her friend she wondered if this was just another memory she’d remember on this long trip she’d found herself on.


End file.
